
Class / F^% \^ 

Book • iV'^^T 
Copyriglrt]^°_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSre 



WORKS BY W. W. WOOD, Air Brake Instructor. 

THE WALSCHAERT LOCOMOTIVE VALVE GEAR. 

If you would thoroughly understand the Walschaert Locomotive 
Valve Gear you should possess a copy of this book. It covers 
the subject in every detail. Examination questions with their 
answers are given. Fully illustrated and contains sliding card- 
board models. Price, $1.50 

LOCOMOTIVE BREAKDOWNS AND THEIR REMEDIES. 
Revised Pocket Edition, just issued. This book tells you just 
what to do in case of any accident or breakdown. Walschaert 
Locomotive Valve Gear Troubles, The Electric Headlight and 
Questions and Answers on the Air Brake are all included. 
Fully illustrated. Price, $1.00 

WESTINGHOUSE E-T AIR BRAKE INSTRUCTION POCKET BOOK 

Everything about the New Westinghouse Engine and Tender 
Brake Equipment, including the Standard No. 5 and the Perfect- 
ed No. 6 style of brake is treated in detail. Contains examination 
questions with their answers, which will pass anyone through any 
examination. Fully illustrated with Colored Plates. Price, $2.00 

The above books, as well as all of our other valuable Railroad books* 
will be found fully described among the back pages of this book. 

PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY 

THE NORMAN W. HENLEY PUBLISHING CO.. 
132 Nassau Street, New York, U. S. A. 



The Westinghouse E-T Air Brake 
Instruction Pocl(et Boole 



A Complete Work Explaining in Detail The Improved 

Westinghouse Locomotive Air Brake Equipment, 

Including both the No. 5 and the Latest, 

Perfected No. 6 Style 

CONTAINS EXAMINATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, COV- 
ERING WHAT THE E-T EQUIPMENT IS. HOW IT SHOULD 
BE OPERATED. WHAT TO DO WHEN DEFECTIVE. NOT 
A QUESTION CAN BE ASKED OF THE ENGINEMAN 
UP FOR PROMOTION ON EITHER THE NO. 5 
OR THE NO. 6 EQUIPMENT THAT IS NOT 
ASKED AND ANSWERED. 

by W. W. WOOD, Air Brake Instructor 

Author of ."The Walschaert Locomotive Valve Gear," 
" Locomotive Breakdowns," etc., etc. 



FILLED WITH COLORED PLATES, SHOWING VARIOUS PRES- 
SURES WHICH HELP TO ASSIST THE READER IN 
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECT PRODUCED IN 
THE VARIOUS PHASES OF LOCOMOTIVE 
AND TRAIN BRAKE OPERATION. 



NEW YORK 

THE NORMAN W. HENLEY PUBLISHING CO. 

132 Nassau Street 

1909 






Copyright, 1909, 

BY 

THE NORMAN W. HENLEY PUBLISHING CO. 



Every Illustration in this book has been specially- 
made for it and is fully covered by copyright 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two CoDies Keceived 

JUN I laua 

CLASS "" ' 



i»Z 






Electrotyped and Printed by the 
Publishers Printing Company, New York. 



PREFACE 

Previous to the issuance of this volume there has 
been a general similarity in all air-brake instruction 
books, and the E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book is the first 
departure to a wholly original field of air-brake instruc- 
tion. 

Since its inception, and until quite recently, there has 
been practically but one style of air brake for all classes 
and branches of railroad service, both passenger and 
freight, and its application to the locomotive has been 
heretofore the simplest modification of the plain, auto- 
matic principle. With the great increase in weight 
and motive power of the locomotives in general service 
at the present day, the importance of their braking 
power has increased enormously, and it is common to 
hear a locomotive engineer declare that he would rather 
have one-half of the car brakes of a long freight train 
out of operation than to have to cut his locomotive brake 
out of action. The different classes of train service 
now require different methods of brake operation. 
The running time of passenger trains has been in- 
creased, also, at such a rate that the comparatively 
modern evolution of the quick-action brake for High- 
Speed Service has been short-lived, and the demand 
heeded for a further increase in the stopping power of 
the brakes of the cars and the locomotives in general 
passenger service. 

[II] 



Preface 

Under the circumstances, and to provide for certain 
other present-day air-brake requirements, it has been 
found necessary to produce a locomotive brake with 
an individuality of its own, but perfectly adapted to 
every requirement of each branch of railroad service; 
and as the result of much invention, experiment and re- 
designing, the improved E-T Locomotive-Brake Equip- 
ment has been brought forth by the Westinghouse 
Air-Brake Company, and is now the one standard type 
of engine- and tender-brake for each and every loco- 
motive, regardless of the service in which it may be 
placed. 

In the E-T equipment the entire apparatus included 
in the engine- and tender-brake has been reconstructed, 
and although the principle of the common triple valve 
is used to govern the graduation of the locomotive 
braking power in like proportion to the calculated 
power of the car brakes of the train, the general con- 
struction of this new equipment is so different from the 
old that it is practically impossible for a person other- 
wise skilled in knowledge of the common quick-action 
and locomotive brakes, to understand the E-T equip- 
ment without helpful instruction. 

It should be borne in mind, too, that when any person 
thoroughly understands the E-T brake equipment, he 
has competent knowledge of the Westinghouse air 
brake as it is applied to any locomotive in this country, 
for, while a knowledge of the common automatic air 
brake is helpful in the study of the E-T equipment, a 
thorough understanding of the latter embraces all that 

[12] 



Preface 

has gone before, in addition to the improvements that 
make this the accepted air-brake standard for all 
locomotives of the future. It is therefore of the greatest 
importance that locomotive engineers in particular, 
but all those as well who have anything to do with the 
maintenance of locomotive equipment, or the super- 
vision of enginemen or air-brake repair men, shall 
become well informed concerning the improved E-T 
locomotive-brake equipment. 

Constant attendance at an air-brake instruction car, 
until the new type of brake can be perfectly understood, 
is a privilege not within the reach of the many who 
desire the knowledge; and for those who may receive 
such direct instruction, good literature on the subject 
is as helpful as the text-book is to the college student. 
With the object in view of aiding all those who desire 
to become proficiently acquainted with the E-T loco- 
motive-brake equipment, this book has been written. 
Its production was delayed until the equipment had 
reached practical perfection in the No. 6, its latest, 
improved style, upon which the text and illustrations 
are mainly based, although the preceding. No. 5, style 
of the equipment is fully described, in so far as it differs 
from the perfected type. 

While the main portion of this book is designed for 
the assistance of those who will not be satisfied with 
anything short of a complete and thorough understand- 
ing of the whole E-T locomotive-brake equipment, a 
series of Questions and Answers has been appended 
for the benefit of those who wish to become posted in 

[13] 



Preface 

the material details, only, of this equipment, in order 
to qualify for an examination thereon; and this section 
is so complete in itself, that it is recommended to 
Travelling Engineers and Air-Brake Inspectors and 
Instructors as a standard form of Examination Ques- 
tions on the No. 5 and No. 6 E-T equipments. 

The illustrations are wholly original, the scheme of 
giving each zone of air pressure its distinctive color 
causing the plates to appear self-explanatory to a great 
extent. The text is also original, except that the de- 
scriptive language used by the air-brake company in 
its literature is occasionally employed in reference to 
certain parts of the apparatus, as examples of brevity 
that can not be improved upon. 

This book is, as the name implies, a text-book and 
reference work on the E-T Locomotive-Brake Equip- 
ment; and the accessories that are the same as were 
used in connection with the common automatic engine- 
and tender-brake, such as the air pump, the train 
air-signalling equipment, and the foundation-brake 
gear, are not touched upon, although in a later edition 
a full description of those parts is contemplated. 

The Author. 

June, 1909. 



[14] 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introductory, 17 

Parts of the Equipment, 20 

Names of Piping, 22 

Arrangement of Apparatus, Pipe Connections, etc., and 

General Route of Air Pressures, . 24 

Explanation of the Principles that Govern the Grad- 
uated OR Complete Application, and the Release, of 

ALL Types of the Automatic Air brake, ..... 32 

Rudiments of the Distributing Valve, 45 

The No. 6 Distributing Valve, 49 

Explanation of the Diagrammatic Charts of the No. 

6 E-T Equipment, 59 

Independent Locomotive -Brake Application 81 

The Quick-action Distributing Valve, 89 

No. 6 Distributing Valve with Quick-action Cylinder 

Cap, 92 



The E-6 Safety Valve, 



97 



Engineer's Brake-valves of the No. 6 E-T Equipment. 

The H-6 Automatic Brake-valve, 102 

Explanation of the Transparency Views of the H-6 
Brake -VALVE, 119 

[15] 



Contents 

PAGE 

The S-6 Independent Brake-valve, ........ 135 

Explanation of the Transparency Views of the S-6 
Independent Brake-valve, . 141 

The B-6 Feed Valve, 150 

The C-6 Reducing Valve, 159 

The S-F4 Pump Governor, c..i6i 

The Combined Air Strainer and Check-valve, . o « .169 

General Operation of the Train and Locomotive Brakes, 173 

On Arrival at Roundhouse at Finish of Trip; Report- 
ing Work, etc., 180 

Broken or Leaking Pipes, . , , , ^ . o 184 

Testing, 191 

The No. 5 E-T Locomotive -brake Equipment; its General 

Construction, 196 

Handle Positions of the Engineer's Brake-valves, No. 

5 E-T Equipment, 199 

General Operation of the No. 5 E-T Equipment, as it 

MAY Differ from the Improved, No. 6 Style, .... 205 

Examination Questions, and Answers on the E-T 
Locomotive-brake Equipment, No. 5 AND No. 6, . . .212 



[160 



THE WESTINGHOUSE 
No. 6 

E-T Locomotive Brake Equipment 



The improved, Westinghouse, locomotive air-brake 
equipment (the term locomotive brake meaning the 
combined braking apparatus of the engine and tender, 
which in this system works as a unit), is denominated 
by the symbols E-T (engine-tender), and the perfected 
equipment is designated as the No. 6. The No. 5 
style of this brake was brought out in 1905, and has 
been quite generally applied to locomotives built since 
that date until succeeded by the more perfect design. 
While the No. 6 does not differ greatly from the preced- 
ing style, the points of difference are important enough 
to warrant the adoption of the latest construction for 
all locomotives that will be built in the future, and this, 
the No. 6 E-T equipment, has been selected as the sub- 
ject of this book of instruction ; after it has been fully 
described, and illustrated, all necessary reference will 
then be made to the differences embodied in the No. 5, 
or older, style. 

[17] 



Foreword 

The essential idea in the production of the E-T equip- 
ment is to furnish a dependable automatic, locomotive 
brake — which the simple automatic type was not, as 
it was hard to keep the brake cylinders even reasonably 
free from pressure leakage. The secondary, straight- 
air^ or '^independent" brake on the locomotive had 
become a necessity, and, together with other improve- 
ments and attachments demanded by the service in 
modern train braking, the older system became com- 
plicated and erratic. A radical change has been made, 
and a new type of automatic brake for the locomotive 
evolved: the E-T, which consists of considerably 
less apparatus than the former '' combined automatic 
and straight- air brake,'' while possessing all the ad- 
vantages of the latter and several other important ones 
which are necessary in connection with modern locomo- 
tive brake appliances. 

There being but one equipment (and not requiring 
different sizes of valves to conform to the several sizes 
of brake cylinders) , it may be applied to any locomotive 
whether used in high-speed passenger, double-pressure 
control, ordinary passenger or freight, or any kind of 
switching service, without change or special adjust- 
ment of the brake apparatus. All valves are so designed 
that they may be removed for repairs and replacement 
without disturbing the pipe joints. 

The locomotive brakes may be used with or independ- 

[i8] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

ently of the train brakes, and this without regard to 
the position of the locomotive in the train. They may 
be apphed with any desired pressure between the mini- 
mum and the maximum, and this pressure will be auto- 
matically maintained in the locomotive-brake cylinders 
regardless of leakage from them and of variations in pis- 
ton travel, undesirable though these defects are, until 
released by the brake valve. They can be graduated 
on or off with either the automatic or the independent 
brake- valves; hence, in all kinds of service the train 
can be handled without shock or danger of parting, and 
in passenger service smooth, accurate stops can be made 
with greater ease than was heretofore possible. 



[19] 



Detail Parts of the Equipment 

PARTS OF THE EQUIPMENT. 

(See Fig. i.) 

1. The Air Pump to compress the air. 

2. The Main Reservoir, in which to store and cool 
the air and collect water and dirt. 

3. A Duplex Pump- Governor to control the pump 
when the pressures are attained for which it is 
regulated. 

4. A Distributing Valve, and small double-cham- 
ber reservoir to which it is attached, placed on the 
locomotive to perform the functions that have hereto- 
fore devolved on the triple valves, auxiliary reservoirs, 
double-check-valves, high-speed reducing valves, etc. 

5. Two Brake- Valves, the Automatic to operate 
locomotive and train brakes, and the Independent to 
operate locomotive brakes only. 

6. A Feed Valve to regulate the brake-pipe pressure. 

7. A Reducing Valve to reduce the pressure for 
the independent brake-valve and for the air-signal 
system when used. 

8. Two Duplex Air-Gauges; one, to indicate 

equalizing-reservoir and main-reservoir pressures; the 

other, to indicate brake-pipe and locomotive-brake- 

cyhnder pressures. 
[20] 




V «v oKDCt ro SMOi* rue f<xi}K,fjc cr tm 

S^f^rMAHKinG /IffC TO BC CCf/'vrc : 




5-6 INDEPENDENT 
BRAKE VALVE 

UNION MUST NOT BE/ 
PLACED INTHE^ PORTION; OF THIS PIPE^ 



OfJA^CC. 



/lorOM/tr/c Bf'^'rs Miv, 



car/n, 



COCfS SHOULD BC SUiH /IS TO 
J/^RRCD //vro A CiOSfD POSinOff 



CLAMfALL fiPSS so T^ry CA/WOT l/iBPATC 

MON 4MB COfPt" P'Pt SiZfS Ovff^ rCK CO-JI/tfiiCfKC or BUILD£RS. 

uirBCfl/oi wsrr/io or clls iVMCfr fR/icT/oiBiC. 

ncMOiT rwS mOM tHOS or P/P£S AUD Bl.Or/ our WITH STfAM BtrOK, 
COHNCCTIMC LLAB ON ThPCADS ShOUU) fJOT SC l/SrO. BUT SMflAC Of> JAf 

vA/fwiSMftArar APPciro ro ours.ac Bjt /srvfx to whdc thucads. 
pfcssufe with soap suds. 

UHOKE F 



„ % PIPE F-PIPE BRACKET'Ms 
PIPE^ B-6 FEED VALVE 



KSTAu. coni\rcTi. 



TENDER 

BRAKE 

CYLINDER 



"PIPE 



"X I'V.NGLE FITTING f "cut-out C 



HOSE AND FP-4 COUPLINGS 




f"iRON PIPE 
N0.14 B.W.G.( .083" ) 1 



|"bRAK£ CYLiNI 




STEAM, LIVE 

AND 

EXHAUST 



DISTRIBUTING 

VALVE 
RELEASE PIPE 



FEED VALVE AND 
BRAKE PIPE 
PRESSURE 



MAIN 
RESERVOIR 
PRESSURE 



Fig. 1. — Piping Diagram, No. 6 E T Locomotive-Bn 

routii 



Copyriglit, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Fig. 1 






STRAINER 




HOSE CONNECTIOti^C-^Kajlff ^lfL_ _ '''' 

--flri] TRUCK nil — \ 
niill BRAKE nil M 

"ill] CYLINDER IJlL '" 

[III ipj 


L _J 

EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 
PRESSURE 


1 1 


■■■■■■i 


APPLICATION 
CYLINDER 
PRESSURE 


BRAKE REDUCING VALVE 
CYLINDER AND SIGNAL LINE 
Pipe LINES PRESSURE 



Equipment. Colors showing open communications, and 
of pressure. 




Fig. 1. — Piping Diagram, No. 6 E T Locomotive-Brake Equipment. Colors showing open communications, and 
routing!! of pressure. 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

9. Driver, Tender, and Truck-Brake Cylin- 
ders, CuT-OuT Cocks, Air Strainers, Hose Coup- 
lings, Fittings, etc., incidental to the piping. (The 
I -inch Cut-out Cock in Brake Pipe directly beneath 
the automatic brake-valve (Fig. i) is designated the 
double-heading cock). 



[21] 



Names of Piping 

NAMES OF PIPING. 
(See Fig. i.. Notations thereon as to pipe connections.) 

In the color scheme of Fig. 1, it is not implied that the 
indicated pressures are in all of the several pipes at the 
same time; the intention is to explain the routing of the air 
flow, and the zone that may be occupied by each pressure. 

In subsequent charts, the coloring will indicate the pres- 
sures that are contained in the pipes, chambers, etc., during 
the particular phase of action represented by the individual 
plate. 

Discharge Pipe : Connects the Air Pump to the first 
Main Reservoir. 

Connecting Pipe: Connects the two Main Res- 
ervoirs. 

Main-Reservoir Pipe: Connects the second Main 
Reservoir to the Automatic Brake-Valve, Dis- 
tributing Valve, Feed Valve, Reducing Valve, 
and Pump Governor. 

Feed-Valve Pipe: Connects the Feed Valve to 
the Automatic Brake- Valve. 

Excess-Pressure Governor Pipe: Connects the 
Feed- Valve Pipe to the Excess -Pressure Head of 
the Pump Governor. 

Reducing -Valve Pipe: Connects the Reducing 
Valve to the Independent Brake- Valve, and to the 
Signal System. 

Brake Pipe (Foi'merly ^' train line.^^): Connects the 

[22] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Automatic Brake-Valve with the Distributing 
Valve and all Triple Valves on the cars in the train. 

Brake-Cylinder Pipe: Connects the Distribu- 
ting Valve with the Driver, Tender and Truck- 
Brake Cylinders. 

Application-Cylinder Pipe: Connects the Appli- 
cation Cylinder of the Distributing Valve with the 
Independent and Automatic Brake-Valves. 

Distributing- Valve Release Pipe: Connects the 
Application-Cylinder exhaust port of the Distrib- 
UTLNG Valve to the Automatic Brake- Valve through 
the Independent Brake-Valve. 



[23] 



Routing of Air Pressures 

ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS, PIPE CON- 
NECTIONS, AND GENERAL ROUTE OF 
PRESSURE. 

Referring to Fig. i, the air compressed by the pump 
passes as usual to the main reservoirs and the main- 
reservoir pipe; this pressure is indicated by the red 
color, and in this diagram all parts of one color are in 
open communication with each other. The main- 
reservoir cut-out cock is of the 3 -way style, and when 
closed will cut off the air from the main reservoir, and 
vent the pressure from the main-reservoir pipe and all 
other pipes, valves, etc., in connection thereto — the 
main brake pipe as well, unless the ^^i-inch cut-out 
cock" beneath the automatic brake-valve should first 
be closed; besides this, the brake-valve handle should 
be placed in release position to prevent the slide valve 
of the feed valve, and the rotary valve of the brake- 
valve being lifted from their seats; any part of the 
apparatus, except the governor, may then be removed 
without the necessity of stopping the pump and empty- 
ing the main reservoir. The end of the 3 -way cock 
toward the main reservoir is tapped for a connection 
to the high-pressure head of the pump governor, and 
will restrain the pump from working up any higher 
pressure than the desired maximum, in the main reser- 
voir while repairs to the apparatus are being made. 
[24] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Beyond the main-reservoir (3-way) cut-out cock, the 
main -reservoir pipe has four branches; one of which 
runs to the automatic brake- valve to supply the pressure 
when the brake- valve is in release position for the quick 
recharge of the brake pipe necessary in releasing the 
train brakes; one branch runs to the feed valve, which 
reduces the pressure that the automatic brake-valve 
will take for the brake-pipe supply to 70 pounds — in 
all branches of service except with the high-speed pas- 
senger brake when it is adjusted to no pounds — and 
the feed-valve pipe delivers this reduced pressure to the 
automatic brake-valve, through which it is supplied 
to the brake pipe in the running and holding positions ; 
one branch of the main-reservoir pipe leads to the redu- 
cing valve — adjusted generally at 45 pounds — which 
regulates the pressure used in the air-signal system, and 
by the independent brake- valve; and one branch to 
the distributing valve through which the main-reservoir 
air is automatically supplied in graded amount to the 
brake cylinders of the engine and tender at all applica- 
tions, by the independent or automatic brake-valves, at 
service and emergency reductions. As a result, the 
automatic brake-valve receives air from the main reser- 
voir in two ways, one direct and the other through the 
feed valve. 

The feed-valve pipe from the feed valve to the auto- 
matic brake- valve has a branch to the top of the excess- 

[25] 



Pipe Connections 

pressure head of the duplex pump-governor, and the 
reasons for this connection will appear in the explanation 
of the SF-4 pump-governor. 

The reducing-valve pipe leading from the reducing 
valve to the independent brake-valve, has a branch- 
pipe connection with the train air-signal system, when 
used. In this branch pipe is placed a combined strainer, 
check-valve, and choke-fitting: the check- valve to pre- 
vent return flow of the signal-line pressure when an 
application by the independent brake- valve is made, 
and which would cause the air-signal whistle to sound; 
the strainer to prevent dirt from lodging in the check- 
valve; and the choke-fitting to so reduce the rapidity 
of air supply to the signal line that the opening of the 
car discharge-valve can reduce the pressure in the line 
and cause the air whistle to blow. 

The distributing valve has five pipe connections (see 
Figs. 2 A and 2 b) , made through the end of the double- 
chamber reservoir, three on the left and two on the right; 
only one of them (the middle one on the left) enters 
either of the chambers of the reservoir, and they are 
all directly related to the valve section, being ported 
through the large, round gasket between the faces of the 
reservoir and valve sections of the distributing valve. 
The pipe connections being made to the reservoir sec- 
tion, it enables the removal of the valve section for ex- 
change or repair without having to disconnect any pipe 
[26] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 





Fig. 2 b 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Fig. 2 a.— No. 6 Distributing Valve, Left Side, showing the Pipe 
Connections. MR, to main reservoir; 2, application -cylinder 
pipe; 4, distributing-valve release-pipe. 

Fig. 2 b.— No. 6 Distributing Valve, Right Side. CYLS, brake- 
cylinder pipe (branching to all brake cylinders of engine and 
tender) ; BP, distributing-valve branch of the brake pipe. 

[27] 



Brake-Cylinder Cut-Out Cocks 

unions. Of the three pipes on the left, the upper is the 
supply from the main reservoir; the intermediate is 
the application-oylinder pipe, leading to the independ- 
ent and the automatic brake-valves; and the lower is 
the distributing-valve release pipe, leading through the 
independent brake- valve, when the handle is in running 
position, to the automatic brake-valve and through it, 
also, when in running position, to the atmosphere, as 
shown in Fig. i by the continuity of color. Of the 
two on the right, the lower is the brake-pipe branch 
connection, and the upper is the brake-cylinder pipe, 
branching to all brake cylinders on the engine and ten- 
der. In this pipe are placed cocks for cutting out, 
individually, the brake cylinders when necessary, one 
each for the tender and engine truck-brake cylinders, 
and one cock to cut out both driver-brake cylinders 
at once, as it is inadvisable to operate the driver brake 
on one side of the engine only; and in the engine truck 
and tender brake-cylinder cut-out cocks are placed 
choke-fittings to prevent serious loss of main-reservoir 
air and the release of the other locomotive brakes during 
a stop, in case of burst brake-cylinder hose. Each one 
of the pieces of the E-T equipment referred to in this 
description of the piping arrangement will be explained 
in detail, and with accompanying illustrations, further 
along. 
The TWO DUPLEX AIR-GAUGES (sec Figs. 3 A and 
[28] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

3 b) are connected as follows : Gauge No. i ; red 
hand to main-reservoir pipe under the automatic brake- 
valve; black hand to gauge-pipe tee of the automatic 
brake- valve; this gauge is piped correspondingly the 
same as the original duplex gauge of the automatic- 
brake equipment with which we have been familiar 



jg^ 


J^ 


i 3g |4to ^ t^^^^^^^^^^^^a 


I^S^n 




I^H^^Hl 


^^S^Ihk>)S^^x>s 0J 


^t^^^^^^ 


w9H^^^^^,.. V^^^f 


^ 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 3 a 



Fig. 3 b 



Fig. 3 a. — Large Duplex Gauge. (Corresponding to the one duplex 
gauge used in former equipments.) 

Fig. 3 b. — Small Duplex Gauge. (Corresponding to the brake cyl- 
inder gauge used in former equipments of the E-T brake, but 
with a second pointer added to show brake-pipe pressure direct.) 



for years, but the inscription on the dial is more strictly 
accurate, for instead of the legend ^^ black hand train 
line^^ — meaning brake- pipe pressure — it now says black 
HAND EQUALIZING RESERVOIR, which pressure it records 
and always has recorded. Gauge No. 2 ; red hand to 

[29] 



The Two Duplex Air- Gauges 

the brake-cyHnder pipe; black hand to the brake 
pipe below the double-heading cock; thus, for the first 
time, in connection with the equalizing-discharge auto- 
matic brake-valve a gauge is supplied that directly 
indicates the pressure in the brake pipe at all times, 
regardless of the position of the brake-valve handle, 
and is of special benefit on the secondary engines in 
double-heading whose double-heading cocks are closed. 

The amount of reduction to be made during an 
automatic application, however, is indicated by the 
black hand of gauge No. i, as the E-T equipment does 
not require any change in the governing of automatic- 
brake appHcations at either service or emergency reduc- 
tions. 

The automatic brake-valve connections, other than 
those already mentioned, are the brake pipe, the pipe to 
the equalizing reservoir (sometimes referred to as the 
chamber D reservoir), and the lower connection to the 
excess-pressure head of the pump-governor. 

Before beginning on a detailed description of the 
operation, and the construction of the operating parts, 
of the No. 6 E-T equipment, it is desired that it shall 
be positively understood that the underlying princi- 
ples governing its action are just the same as those of 
all previous equipments of the automatic air-brake. 
Instead of a triple valve and auxiliary reservoir for each 
of the engine and tender equipments the parts men- 
[30] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

tioned are dispensed with, and the distributing 
VALVE is made to take the place of the triple valve, but 
one being used to control the supply of pressure to, 
and its discharge from, all brake cylinders of the engine 
and tender; while the presence of the main reservoir 
on the engine has been taken advantage of for direct 
brake-cylinder air supply, to supplant the auxiliary 
reservoir. 



[31I 



Straight-Air Brake. Triple Valve 

AN EXPLANATION OF THE PRINCIPLE 
THAT GOVERNS THE GRADUATED OR 
COMPLETE APPLICATION, AND THE RE- 
LEASE, OF ALL TYPES OF THE AUTO- 
MATIC AIR BRAKE. 

The first ^'continuous train brake'' to come into 
general use was of the straight-air type, invented by 
George H. Westinghouse, and, succeeding the hand 
brake, was comparatively successful on a Hmited num- 
ber of cars, and as long as everything worked all right. 
The straight-air brake can be, and is, absolutely reUa- 
ble, but only when used on the same vehicle from which 
the actuating pressure is originally supplied and that 
carries the main operating brake- valve. The auto- 
matic brake as it exists to-day is due to the production 
by Mr. Westinghouse of the triple valve, which is the 
one essential part of each air-brake unit (car or loco- 
motive equipment), and no automatically acting brake 
can be conceived to work with compressed air that does 
not make use of the principle of the triple valve. 

The Triple Valve. — ^Nominally, the Westing- 
house E-T locomotive -brake equipment does not in- 
clude a triple valve; really, however, that portion of 
the distributing valve called the equalizing valve per- 
forms the functions of a triple valve, and is necessary 
[32] 






Fig. 4 a. — Triple Valve in Release Position, with Auxiliary ] 
Fig. 4 b. — ^Triple Valve in Service- Application Position. 
Fig. 4 c. — ^Triple Valve in Service-Lap Position. 
Fig. 4 d. — Triple Valve in Emergency-Application Position. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W, Henley Publishins: Co. 



>^^2ii222^2S2i2^2222222^^ 



'/y///////////,^: 



Triple Valve 



t ... i 



Exhaust Port 




Brake Pipe Connection 



O ^ 




-D CO 

m > 



O 

o 






it 



oir and Brake Cylinder. Charged. Diagrammatic figure. 







Fig. 4 A.-Triple Valve in Release Position, with Auxiliary Reservoir and Brake Cylinder. Charged. Diagrammatic figure 
riG. 4 b. — Iriple Valve m Service- Application Position. " 

Fig. 4 c. — Triple Valve in Service-Lap Position. 
Fig. 4 d. — Triple Valve in Emergency-Application Position. 



Copyright, 1<109, by The Non 



v. Henley Publishins Co. 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

to correctly graduate the locomotive-braking power 
at ser\ice applications, and to so operate that the power 
of the locomotive brake will be proportionately the same 
as that of the properly working car brakes during the 
different grades of application. In fact, it does all 
that a triple valve has done, and performs other addi- 
tional functions that are individual to the E-T type 
of brake equipment. 

It is necessary, therefore, to be familiar with the 
operation of a plain triple valve before it is possible to 
satisfactorily understand the distributing valve; and 
as the latter is as essentially the vital part of the E-T 
equipment as the triple valve is of the plain automatic 
brake, the working of a triple valve of the simplest 
design of construction will be exemplified, and will be 
followed by an ideal, or diagrammatic, illustration and 
explanation of the principal features of the distributing 
valve for comparison, and which will make it clear that 
the original theory of the automatic brake has not been 
departed from, but only strengthened. 

Fig. 4 A represents a triple valve with the parts in 
the release position, together with the auxiliary reser- 
voir, and brake cyHnder and piston; the triple valve 
embodies the controlling mechanism, the auxiliary 
reservoir is to contain the pressure ready to be used in 
the application of the brake, and the brake cylinder 
is the place where the power of the compressed air is 

[33] 



operation of the Triple Valve 

made to transmit its force to the brake shoes through 
the foundalio7t brake^ or rigging, by acting against the 
movable piston contained within the cyHnder. Figs. 
4 B, 4 c, and 4 d show the same triple valve with the 
operating parts in the service- application, service-lap, 
and emergency-application positions, respectively, but 
without the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder — 
the points of connection therewith being indicated 
— as their duties will be sufficiently understood after 
the explanation of the first diagram, Fig. 4 A. 

Alluding to Fig. 4 a, the triple-valve piston, 26, 
contains a packing ring (not shown), to make a prac- 
tically air-tight joint between the spaces on each side 
of it, and, seated between the shoulders of the stem of 
the piston is a slide valve, 31, that follows the piston, 
but with a certain amount of slack, or lost motion, 
which the piston must take up in either direction before 
the slide valve moves; the top of this slide valve forms 
the seat for another one of smaller design but similar in 
some respects, called the graduating valve, No. 28, which 
is combined with the piston and moves regularly with 
it; while piston 26 is air-tight on its edges, in the re- 
lease position it is necessary that there shall be a slender 
opening between chambers p and x, and to serve this 
purpose a small groove, w, is cut in the wall of the triple- 
valve cylinder, but made so short that the triple pis- 
ton must be fully in the release position, as here shown, 
[34] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

in order that air will feed through it. The connec- 
tions of the triple valve are as follows: The brake- 
pipe connection, as indicated on the plate, is to a branch 
of the main pipe that extends throughout the train 
from the engineer's brake-valve, and which is constantly 
charged with pressure from the main reservoir, that the 
feed valve maintains at 70 pounds while the engineer's 
valve is in running position. The brake pipe was for- 
merly known as the ^^ train line,'' and the duty of its 
contained pressure is two-fold: to maintain the air 
charge of the auxiliary reservoir on each car, and to 
be the medium by which the engineer can operate the 
triple valves on all of the cars sim^ultaneously — redu- 
cing the p^^ssure to apply the brakes, and increasing 
it to releastf them; the connection of the triple valve 
with the auxiliary reservoir is plainly seen in the opening 
through the front head of the reservoir to which the 
triple valve is attached; the tube L, extending through 
the auxiHary reservoir, furnishes the connection between 
the triple valve and the brake cylinder; the exhaust 
port to the atmosphere is indicated on the plate, and 
with the triple valve in release position, as shown, the 
pressure space of the brake cylinder is open to the at- 
mosphere through the tube L, port h that opens into 
the seat of the triple-slide-valve, ca\dty k in the face of 
the slide valve, and the exhaust port. When pressure 
is released from the brake cylinder, the large spring 



Service Application 

around piston rod, 12, holds the brake piston, 10, 
against the pressure head of the cylinder; the extension 
of the left, or non-pressure, head of the brake cylinder 
is to permit the nesting of the release spring for pro- 
tection in case the piston should ever be permitted to 
travel the full, possible distance of the cyKnder; but 
the slack in the brake rigging should be taken up 
enough that at a full-on application the piston will not 
travel much over one-half of its full stroke. 

Air pressure from the brake pipe enters the triple 
valve as shown, fiUing chambers p, p, and passing 
through the feed groove, w, charges chamber x and 
the auxiliary reservoir, but slowly, under a full 
head of brake-pipe pressure at the rate of about 
one pound of reservoir charge per second; when the 
auxiHary reservoir has become charged to 70 pounds, 
or equal to the brake-pipe pressure, no movement of 
the triple-valve parts will automatically occur, as the 
piston is in a perfect equilibrium of brake-pipe pressure 
on one side and auxiliary-reservoir pressure on the other. 

Fig. 4B — Service-application position: A reduc- 
tion of brake-pipe pressure having been made — say 
of 10 pounds — the pressure in chamber p is now 60 
pounds, and as the feed-groove, u, is too small to 
permit the auxiliary air to equally reduce by back 
flow through it, the 70-pounds pressure in chamber 
X forces the triple piston, 26, to the right until its knob 
[36] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

comes into contact with the spring head, 60, at which 
point the piston's movement ceases, with the triple 
valve in the service-application position ^ as shown; the 
first movement occurs when the brake-pipe pressure 
has been reduced by 2 to 4 pounds, when the piston 
responds by moving far enough for the shoulder on 
the end of the stem to strike against the left end of 
slide valve 31, and if the brake-pipe pressure reduces 
slowly — as is always the case when a service applica- 
tion is made from a long train line — there will be a slight 
pause of the triple-valve piston at this point, due to 
the frictional resistance of the slide valve from the 
air pressure upon it, but the feed -groove, w, will have 
been closed, thereby trapping the auxiliary-reservoir 
air against any back flow, and graduating valve 28 
will have been drawn from over port z in the slide valve; 
when the brake-pipe reduction has amounted to from 
5 to 7 pounds, the resistance of slide valve 31 will have 
been overcome and the triple piston will complete its 
service travel, carrying the slide valve with it and bring- 
ing port z into register with port h in the slide-valve 
seat; the auxiliary-reservoir air in chamber x now 
flows through port z to port h, and enters the tube L, 
through the auxiliary reservoir, that carries it to the 
brake cylinder, where, acting upon the brake piston, 
the air pressure accompUshes the appUcation of the 
brake. 

[37] 



Automatic Graduation 

The automatic graduation of the pressure supplied 
to the brake cyKnder is the paramount feature of the 
triple valve. It may be asked at this point — why, 
if graduating port z is fully opened to port h, does not 
the brake apply full-on, by the auxihary-reservoir air 
continuing to feed to the brake cylinder until their 
pressures are equal? And the answer to this question 
explains the ^^ secret" of the triple valve — gives the 
reason for its automatic graduation of braking power: 
As the result of a lo-pound reduction the brake-pipe 
pressure stands at 60 pounds; the auxiliary-reservoir 
air i^'you canH have your penny and spend it, too^^), 
in supplying the brake cylinder, drops in pressure 
until it becomes just a trifle less than the brake-pipe 
pressure, and when that occurs the superior pressure 
acting upon the triple-valve piston is on the right — 
the brake-pipe side — of it, and although the difference 
in pressures may only be a matter of ounces there is 
but little frictional resistance to piston 26's leftward 
movement until it slides the short distance necessary 
to bring the other shoulder of the piston's stem against 
slide valve 31, and then the frictional resistance of the 
slide valve is encountered and the triple piston is again 
stopped; the slight, leftward movement of piston 26 
closed the graduating valve, 28, cutting off further 
supply to the brake cylinder and arresting the fall of 
auxiliary-reservoir pressure when it has become just 
[38] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

enough weaker than that of the brake pipe to permit 
of the back lash of the piston, but not weak enough to 
permit movement of the sUde valve; the triple valve 
has then assumed the position of service lap, as shown 
in Fig. 4 c. 

It should be stated that the graduating spring that 
offers an effective resistance to the movement of the 
triple-valve piston beyond the service-application po- 
sition is not absolutely necessary in order that the piston 
shall stop at that point; a triple valve may work very 
well without the graduating spring; it may be removed, 
and if the brake-pipe pressure is not reduced more rap- 
idly than the rate provided for in the equalizing-dis- 
charge port of the engineer's brake-valve, and if the 
triple valve is not sticking and sluggish in movement 
as the result of dirt and lack of lubrication, the service 
movement will be accomplished just as well and the 
triple-valve piston will stop in exactly the same position 
as though the resistance of the graduating spring had 
been interposed; the reason is that when the triple 
valve has reached the service-stop position the auxihary- 
reservoir pressure that m.oved it thus far begins to re- 
duce through the graduating port to the brake cylinder, 
and this fall of the motive force will be as rapid as, 
or more so than, the reduction of the brake-pipe pres- 
sure, with the result that the air pressures on both sides 
of the triple-valve piston are nearly equalized, and the 

[39] 



Emergency Application 

frictional resistance of the slide valve overcomes any 
slight balance of application force, and the whole mech- 
anism is halted until the back lash to service lap occurs. 
Fig. 4 D — Emergency- APPLICATION position: Port 
h in the sUde- valve seat is of greater area than appears, 
as, instead of being a circular hole, it extends trans- 
versely across the valve seat to nearly the width of the 
slide valve, and only its narrowest diameter appears; 
but at service application the pressure can not flow 
through it any faster than the smaller, round, gradu- 
ating port, 2, can supply, which is a rate of flow desirable 
for service action of the brake; when it is desired to stop 
quickly, however, the full capacity of the large port 
in the seat is demanded to supply the reservoir air to 
the brake cylinder rapidly enough — say in "spotting" 
the engine on the turntable, at a water column, or in 
case of emergency on the road — and when such an oc- 
casion arises, the engineer's brake-valve being thrown 
to the emergency-application position^ the sudden and 
heavy reduction of brake-pipe pressure induces the 
movement of the triple -valve piston to the right in the 
same manner as explained in connection with Fig. 
4 B, except that the stroke is quicker, and instead of the 
piston being halted by the graduating spring the latter 
is compressed and the piston completes its full travel, 
assuming the emergency application position as repre- 
sented by Fig. 4 d, in which it is seen that the slide 
[40] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

valve, 31, is drawn completely off of port h in the seat, 
exposing the full opening of the latter for the more rapid 
passage of the auxiliary-reservoir pressure to the brake 
cylinder. 

Referring again to service application: In order to 
apply the brake with full-service force it is only neces- 
sary to reduce the brake-pipe pressure to the same 
figure at which the auxiliary reservoir and brake 
cylinder will equaHze; with an initial pressure of 70 
pounds in the former they will not always equaHze at 
the same figure, and this is due to the variation in vol- 
umes of the pressure spaces in the brake cylinders of a 
train, this pressure space being greater or less as the 
brake piston may have a longer or shorter travel; the 
length of piston travel is proportionate to the amount 
of slack in the brake rigging — the longer the piston 
travel the greater the space that must be filled in the 
cylinder; and with increased expansion of the air 
there is decreased pressure; the piston should never 
travel much more than one-half of its full stroke, and 
if properly adjusted, the auxihary reservoir and brake 
cylinder should equalize at 50 pounds per square inch, 
and to secure this equalization calls for a 20-pound 
brake-pipe reduction (from 70 pounds to 50 pounds) ; 
in regular train service, the equalization will give brake- 
cylinder pressures anywhere between 45 and 55 pounds, 
due to minimum and maximum piston travels, and 

[41] 



Automatic Release 

the intermediate; and as the piston travel on all cars 
in the train is not known to the engineer, when a full- 
on service application is to be made it is necessary to re- 
duce the brake-pipe pressure 25 pounds. 

Operation of Brake Release: As the reduction 
of brake-pipe pressure influenced the triple valves to 
cause an application of the brakes, it is through the 
medium of the brake-pipe air that the engineer releases 
them, which he does by increasing the pressure; but, 
whereas an automatic application of all brakes may 
be made at any point in the train by reducing the brake- 
pipe pressure, the engineman, only, can automatically 
release them, as the main reservoir carrying the high 
releasing-pressure of great volume is located on the 
engine; if, however, it is required to release brakes on 
cars that are detached from the engine, or in case of 
a very long train when the main reservoir may not be 
pumped-up to a pressure sufficiently high to release 
all brakes, those remaining applied are said to be 
'^ stuck," and can be released by the trainmen ^^ bleed- 
ing'' each one individually. 

To automatically release the brakes, the engineer's 
brake-valve is placed in the release position which per- 
mits the high pressure of the main reservoir to flow 
to the brake pipe, and the increased pressure entering 
the triple-valve chambers, p, p, becomes higher than 
that of the auxiliary reservoir, and piston 26 will be 
[42] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

moved its full traverse to the left, to the Release and 
Charging Position as shown in Fig. 4 A, in which feed- 
groove u is open, through which brake -pipe air begins 
recharging the auxiliary reservoir; cavity k in the face 
of slide-valve 31 now connects port h with the ex- 
haust port in the slide-valve seat, thus opening a way 
for the brake-cylinder pressure, flowing back through 
the tube L, to escape to the atmosphere, after which, 
the large releasing spring around piston rod 12 pushes 
brake piston 10 to its release position, as shown, against 
the pressure head of the cylinder. 

To bleed the brakes, the trainman opens the release 
valve (not shown) on the auxiliary reservoir, thus 
reducing its pressure until it is less than that of the 
brake pipe when the triple valve will be moved to 
release position in the same manner as explained in 
reference to automatic release, and by the same reason 
— i,e., the brake-pipe pressure is become greater than 
that of the auxiliary reservoir; but, to effect the release 
in this way, the auxiliary reservoir of every applied 
brake in the train must be individually ''bled"; if 
no pressure remains in the brake pipe, the triple valve 
will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 b by the 
force of the graduating spring when the auxiliary 
pressure has been largely reduced by bleeding, after 
which the brake-cylinder pressure will flow back into 
the auxiliary reservoir through tube L and ports h 

[43] 



Release by Bleeding " 

and z, and to the atmosphere through the release valve; 
in the latter case, the release valve must be kept open 
until all of the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir and 
brake cylinder has been discharged. 



[44] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



RUDIMENTS OF THE DISTRIBUTING VALVE. 

Owing to its automatic character, the unimproved 
air-brake can not be depended upon to stay applied 
for any considerable length of time, as the auxiliary 
reservoir — the local base of pressure supply — is cut 
off from recharge by the act of applying the brake, and 
the inevitable piston packing-leather leakage may be 
expected to waste away the air from the brake cylinder 
and auxiliary reservoir; but the locomotive — the heavi- 
est unit of the train, and equipped with a brake equal- 
ing in calculated power the brakes of several modern 
freight cars — carries the main-reservoir pressure, and 
in the E-T type of locomotive-brake equipment a way 
has been found to supply pressure to the engine and 
tender-brake cylinders directly from the main reservoir 
and yet to retain the automatic action and brake- 
pressure-graduation in harmony with the triple-valve- 
operated cars of the train. 

The distributing valve is the central figure of this 
new equipment, and before taking up the description 
and explanation of its mechanism in technical detail, 
a diagrammatic figure will be used to exemplify the prin- 
ciple on which the brake -cylinder pressure is supplied 
and the automatic graduation of same is performed. 

In Fig. 5, we have a triple valve precisely similar to 

[45] 



Rudiments of Distributing Valve 

the one described, but here denominated the equalizing 
valve, an auxiliary reservoir changed in name to pres- 
sure chamber, and a sealed vessel containing the same 
volume as would be in the pressure end of the brake 
cylinder of Fig. 4 A with the brake piston moved out 
to its normal travel, but called the application chamber; 
and these, with the addition of the case containing the 
small piston and valve at the left of the application 
chamber, constitute the application features of the dis- 
tributing valve in an ideal form. 

The same explanation as given of Figs. 4 A, 4 b, 
4 c, and 4 D will apply to the action of the equalizing 
valve as the result of brake-pipe pressure reductions 
and recharge; full main-reservoir pressure enters and is 
contained in chamber a, as indicated, and serves to 
hold application valve 5 seated; from chamber b, a 
pipe leads and branches to all brake cylinders of the 
engine and tender; therefore, application piston 10 
has whatever pressure may be in the locomotive-brake 
cylinders on one side of it, and the pressure of the 
dummy-brake cylinder, or application chamber, on the 
other side. 

If a brake-pipe reduction of 10 pounds should be 
made, the equalizing valve operating as a triple valve 
will permit air to flow from the pressure chamber to 
the application chamber until the pressure of the for- 
mer has been also reduced to a fraction less than that 
[46] 



ti) 



Hi Ui cc 

N^: D D 

< z en 



II 
I 



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LlJ 

tr 
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o o: 
E> => 

tr CO 



I z z z 

O < O IE lU 

r: ^ ii iu ct 



us cc 

q: ^ 




The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

in the reduced brake pipe; it will be recalled that in 
response to a lo-pound brake-pipe reduction the pres- 
sure built up in the brake cylinder should be about 
25 pounds, if the piston travel is correct; but in this 
arrangement there is no variable-traveling piston that 
can alter the result of the pressure expansion, and 
following a lo-pound reduction the application chamber 
will have 25 pounds pressure; this 25 pounds acting 
upon application piston 10, in appKcation cylinder G, 
will force it to the left, unseating valve 5 and permit- 
ting main-reservoir air from chamber a to enter cham- 
ber h and pass from there to the brake cylinders of the 
engine and tender; and when — regardless of what 
distance the pistons may travel in the brake cylinders 
— their pressures become 25 pounds, or a very little 
greater, the same pressure being contained in chamber 
h, there is an equalization of pressure on piston 10, 
and the spring reacting upon valve 5 closes it and pres- 
sure supply to the brake cyUnder ceases — until the 
pressure of chamber h and the brake cylinders begins 
to reduce through leakage, whereupon the greater 
pressure in appHcation cylinder G again unseats the ap- 
plication valve, 5, and the brake cylinders are resupphed 
up to equalization, when the valve is closed as before. 
This automatic pressure-maintenance will be continuous 
as long as the charge remains in the application chamber; 
but when an increase of brake-pipe pressure moves 

[47] , 



The Application Principle 

the equalizing valve to release position, the air in the 
application chamber is exhausted to the atmosphere 
in the same manner as was explained in reference to the 
triple valve; or its discharge may be effected by the 
independent brake-valve (through a pipe conliection 
not shown in the Fig. 5 diagram) ; but in either or any 
case, when the pressure of the application chamber is 
reduced wholly or in part, an exhaust valve which is not 
shown automatically releases the pressure from the 
brake cylinders in conformity to the exhaust of the ap- 
pHcation-chamber air — pound for pound; such addi- 
tional functions of the distributing valve will be ex- 
plained in detail further along, as at this time it is only 
desired to illustrate the appKcation principle. 



[48] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



THE NO. 6 E-T DISTRIBUTING VALVE. 

The distributing valve as a whole, consists of two 
sections bolted firmly together (see Fig. 6), one of which 
contains the operating apparatus — valves, pistons, 
etc. — and may be subdivided into two portions, the 
lower, or *^ equalizing portion," which we have already 
compared to a triple valve, and the upper, or '*' applica- 
tion portion," that directly controls the flow of pressure 
from main reservoir to brake cylinders, and from brake 
cylinders to the atmosphere in releasing the brake 
(see Fig. 7); the other section is called the ^* double- 
chamber reservoir," and it is also divided, as the name 
implies, by a partition or bulkhead which is part of 
the main-body casting, and air-tight, into two cham- 
bers which are called the ^^ pressure chamber," and 
the "application chamber" (Fig. 6), and which will 
be understood as corresponding to an auxiliary reser- 
voir and a dummy brake cylinder, respectively, to fur- 
nish the pressure-volumes for the correct operation of 
the equalizing, or triple valve, portion of the distribu- 
ting valve; and the application chamber is ordinarily 
in connection with the application cylinder (in Fig. 7, 
the space closed by the cylinder head, 7), in which its 
pressure acts upon application piston 10, in part as 
described in connection with the diagrammatic Fig. 5. 

[49] 



No. 6 Distributing Valve 

In the ideal sketch of Fig. 5, the pressure chamber 
and application chamber were shown in comparatively 
the same size as the regular auxiliary reservoir and brake 
cylinder of the automatic-brake system, and it was ex- 
plained that the ratio of pressure supply to the appli- 
cation chamber and application cylinder conforms to 
the normal pressures obtained in brake cylinders of 
the common automatic system; as long as the sizes 
of an auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder are pro- 
portionately the same their actual sizes may be reduced 
or increased to any extent without changing the ratio 
of equalization of pressure between them; and as the 
sole duty of their E-T counterparts are to furnish pres- 
sure to the comparatively small application cylinder, 
the reservoir containing the pressure chamber and 
application chamber is made so small as to take up 
but little room. 

Referring to Fig. 7 : It should be understood at first 
that the equalizing portion and pressure chamber are 
used in automatic applications only, service reductions 
of brake-pipe pressure causing the equahzing valve to 
connect the pressure chamber to the application cham- 
ber and application cylinder, allowing air to flow from 
the former to the latter two — to the application chamber, 
for expansion to the pressure equivalent to that which is 
desired in the brake cylinders, and to the application 
cylinder as the actuating power to be applied to the 
[50] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

application side of piston lo (upper portion). The 
upper slide valve, 5, connected to the spindle, or stem, 
of piston 10, holds main-reservoir pressure above it 
and admits a graduated amount of it to the brake 
cylinders when the locomotive brake is applied — an 
amount to correspond to the pressure in the apphca- 
tion cylinder — and is called the ''application valve," 
while the under one, 16, is used to release the pres- 
sure from the brake cylinders and is named the 
''exhaust valve"; in Fig. 7 the space between piston 
10 and the head, 7, is the application cylinder, and the 
whole space to the right of piston 10 as far as cap-nut 
22 is in permanent connection with the locomotive- 
brake cylinders; any greater pressure in the application 
cylinder than may be in the brake cylinders will, it 
can be plainly seen, force the application piston, 10, 
to the right, to close the exhaust valve and open the 
application valve, admitting main-reservoir air to the 
brake cylinders until their pressure equals that in the 
application cyHnder; also, any variation of application- 
cylinder pressure will be exactly duplicated in the loco- 
motive-brake cylinders, and the resulting pressure 
maintained regardless of almost any brake-cylinder 
leakage. 

It is obvious that the pressure supply to the brake 
cyhnders of the engine and tender is thus practically 
unlimited, but the Umit has been found in some few 

[51! 



Details of Distributing Valve 

cases when the brake-cyUnder piston-packing-leathers 
have been partially blown out, or one of the brake- 
cyhnder pressure-supply pipes has become broken 
off, and the braking pressure has escaped faster than 
it could be resupplied through the very large port of the 
application valve, or faster than the pump could com- 




Copyright, 19 



APPLICATION CHAMBER 
, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Fig. 6. — No. 6 Distributing Valve and Double-chamber Reservoir. 
CYLS — brake cylinder pipe; BP — brake pipe. 



press it. The whole operation of the locomotive brake, 
therefore, consists in admitting and releasing air pres- 
sure into or out of the appHcation cyhnder; in independ- 
ent applications, directly through the independent 
brake-valve; in automatic appHcations, by means of the 
equalizing portion and the air stored in the pressure 
chamber. 
[52] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

The well-known principle embodied in the Westing- 
house quick-action triple valve, by which it gives a 
high brake power in emergency applications, and a 
sufficiently lower one, in full-service apphcations, to 
provide a desired protection against wheel sliding, is 
embodied in the No. 6 distributing valve, but without 
the \iolent shock to the brake rigging from cyhnder pis- 
ton to brake shoes that occurs at an emergency appli- 
cation of the quick- action triple valve, and the venting 
of brake-pipe air is not included as an emergency 
feature unless specially demanded as an adjunct to the 
standard equipment; the emergency increase of appli- 
cation-cylinder pressure is accompHshed by cutting off 
the application chamber from it, when the pressure cham- 
ber will equaHze with the quite small application cylin- 
der at a greatly increased pressure that will be followed 
by a correspondingly high brake-cylinder pressure. 



[53] 



Names of Operating Parts 



NAMES OF THE OPERATING PARTS, 
NO. 6 DISTRIBUTING VALVE. 



All of the operating parts are plainly shown in 
Fig. 7; and the faces and seats, and plan views of the 
equalizing sHde valve and its graduating valve, are 
shown in Fig. 8. In connection with a study of 
Figs. 2 A, 2 B, and Fig. 6, the piping connections of 
Fig. 7 and the connecting ports between the reser- 
voir section and the valve section will be readily 
understood. The Safety Valve is an essential part 
of the distributing valve that will be described in detail 
further along. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the names 
of parts of this apparatus are as follows: 



, Body. 

, Application-Valve Cover. 

, Cover Screw. 

, Application Valve. 

, Application-Valve Spring. 

, Application-Cylinder Cover. 

i, Cylinder-Cover Bolt and Nut. 

I, Cylinder-Cover Gasket. 

i, Application Piston. 

, Piston Follower. 

, Packing-Leather Expander. 

, Packing Leather. 

, Application-Piston Nut. 

, Application-Piston Packing- 

Ring. 
, Exhaust Valve. 
, Exhaust-Valve Spring, 
i, Application-Valve Pin. 
i, Application-Piston Graduating 

Stem. 
1, Application-Piston Graduating 

Spring. 
, Gradua ting-Stem Nut. 
, Upper-Cap Nut. 
, Equalizing-Cylinder Cap. 
, Cylinder-Cap Bolt and Nut. 



2 5, Cylinder-Cap Gasket. 

26, Equalizing Piston. 

27, Equalizing-Piston Packing-Ring. 

28, Graduating Valve. 

29, Graduating-Valve Spring. 

31, Equalizing Valve. 

32, Equalizing-Valve Spring. 

33, Lower-Cap Nut. 

34, Safety Valve. 

35, Double-Chamber Reservoir. 

36, Reservoir Stud and Nut. 

37, Reservoir Drain-Plug. 

38, Distributing- Valve Drain-Cock. 
3Q, Application-Valve-Cover Gasket. 

40, Application-Piston Cotter. 

41, Distributing- Valve Gasket (not 

shown). 

42, Oil Plug. 

43, Safety-Valve Air Strainer. 

44, Equalizing-Piston Graduating 

Sleeve (numbered 60 on all 
subsequent plates). 

45, Equalizing-Piston Graduating- 

Spring Nut. 

46, Equalizing-Piston Graduating 

Spring. 



[54] 



Interior of Distributing Valve 

To simplify the tracing of the ports and connections, 
the various positions of this valve are illustrated in 
nine diagrammatic views; that is, the valve is distorted 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 7. — No. 6 Distributing Valve. Coimections: MR — main-reser- 
voir pipe; IV — distributing- valve release pipe; II — application- 
cylinder pipe ; CYLS — brake-cylinder pipe; BP — brake pipe. 

[55] 



Fig. 8. — Graduating 
Valve, Equalizing 
Valve, and Equaliz- 
ing - valve seat of 
No. 6 Distributing 
Valve. 




PLAN OF 
GRADUATING VALVE 






''o r 



J 



FACE OF SLIDE VALVE 



: — ^^< 

^ — -J- 


r,7 -, 


:z) 


^03 ^-h n 

z r-\-j^ ■ . 



PLAN OF SLIDE VALVE 






iMsi^^^^^^^^i^p 









0* 

•^0 0"' 



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^8 



PLAN OF SLIDE VALVE SEAT 

CopyrigM, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



[S6] 



Equalizing and Application Valves 

to show the parts diflferently than actually constructed 
with the object of explaining the operation clearly, in- 
stead of showing exactly how they are designed. The 
chambers of the reservoir are for convenience indicated 
at the bottom as a portion of the valve itself. In Fig. 
7, equalizing piston 26, graduating valve 28, and equal- 
izing slide valve 31 are shown as actually constructed; 
but as there are ports in the valve that can not be in- 
dicated at once in sectional side elevation just as they 
exist (see Fig. ?>—face of slide valve, and plan of seat), 
the diagrammatic illustrations show each sKde valve 
considerably elongated so as to make all the ports ap- 
pear in one plane, with similar treatment of the equal- 
izing-valve seat. Fig. 8 shows the correct location of 
these ports. 

Referring to Fig. 7, the port through application 
valve 5 is of greater area than appears in sectional side 
view, as it extends transversely to nearly the width of 
the valve, and in full application position is in register 
with a port exactly corresponding in plan and area 
in the seat; from the center of the latter port a narrow, 
longitudinal opening is cut through the valve seat, 
but always covered by the valve, for the traverse of 
application- valve pin 18. 

A piping diagram accompanies each chart in the fol- 
lowing series that represents the distributing valve in 
the different operating positions, showing the contained 

[57] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

pressures as they are affected, primarily, by the operation 
of the engineer's brake-valves, and secondarily, by the 
action of the distributing valve; the only omissions 
of the piping diagram being where it would merely 
be a repetition, as in connection with the charts showing 
the distributing valve when it has automatically returned 
to lap position after an application, etc. A color 
KEY is supplied for reference on each color-plate page. 



[58] 



Running Position, Charted 

EXPLANATION OF THE DIAGRAMMATIC 
CHARTS OF THE NO. 6 E-T EQUIPMENT. 

Running Position. 

Figures 9 A and 9 b : Fig. 9 A shows the No. 6 E-T 
Equipment as a whole, with the automatic and inde- 
pendent brake-valves in running positions, and pipes 
and reservoirs charged with pressures as indicated by 
their colors; Fig. 9B is a diagrammatic chart of the 
distributing valve with the operating parts in release 
and charging position, as the result of maintenance of 
brake-pipe pressure and the absence of pressure in the 
appHcation cylinder. 

Referring to Fig. 9 a: The boiler-pressure steam 
(dark blue) enters the steam cyhnder of the air pump, 
enforcing action of the steam piston and the connected 
air piston in the air cylinder, and is exhausted through 
the pipe (Hght blue), that leads to the smoke box, or 
main exhaust passages of the locomotive cylinders. 
Atmospheric air (orange) is drawn in through the 
strainer to the air cylinder, in which it is condensed to 
main-reservoir pressure (red), and passes through both 
main reservoirs directly to the automatic brake-valve, 
the feed valve, the reducing valve, the high-pressure 
governor top, the large duplex gauge where it is indi- 
cated by the red hand, the by-pass strainer-and-check- 

[59] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

valve, and the distributing valve, and indirectly, 
through the automatic brake-valve to the excess-pressure 
governor top. The feed valve is adjusted to supply 
70 pounds of pressure in all branches of service except 
the High-Speed Brake, to the feed-valve pipe (brown), 
which delivers this air to the automatic brake-valve, 
and through a small connecting pipe to the regulating- 
spring case of the excess-pressure governor top. With 
the automatic brake-valve in running position, as 
shown, or in holding position, the feed-valve pipe air 
passes through the rotary valve to a branch of the brake 
pipe (yellow), at the same pressure, and from which 
there are two connecting pipes, one leading to the small 
duplex gauge on which the brake-pipe pressure is regis- 
tered by the black hand, and the other one to the cut- 
out cock in the by-pass arrangement used in charging 
the air equipment of a ^^dead" engine, this branch 
pipe teeing into the main brake pipe that leads to all 
triple valves of the train, and from which the air passes 
through the large strainer-tee, and branch pipe, to the 
distributing valve. The reducing valve regulates the 
air supply to the reducing- valve pipe (lavender), at 
45-pounds pressure which feeds to the independent 
brake- valve, and has a branch connecting to the signal 
line strainer-and-check; beyond this fitting the same 
amount of pressure ensues, but it is then called the 

signal-line pressure (purple). The same pressure that 
[60] 



3 Fig. 9B 




PRESSURES 




ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE 

CHAMBER 



REDUCING VALVE ATMOSPHERIC S 

PIPE 



Fig. 9 b. — No. 6 Distributing Valve in Released 
and Charging Position. 



Fig. 9 a, — Piping E 



opyright, ] 909, by Tlie Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



RED HAND MAIN RESERVOIB DUPLEX GAUGE red HAND CYLINDER 
ND EQUAU21NS RESERVO!R^^^>^ ^^^BLAC^CJIAND BRAKE PIPE 

NO. 2 



Fig. 9 A 




RAKE VALVE 
EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 



-■^'l TRUCK „„ 
^^l|]| BRAKE nil 

"(Ml CYLINDER IIJl 

IJU inj HOSE AND COUPLINa 

BRAKE PIPE MAIN 

RESERVOIR 



am, No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures, with the automatic an 
independent brake-valves in running position. 





Fig. 9 b.— Xo. 6 Distributing: Valve in Released 
and Charging Position. 



Fig. 9 a. — Piping Diagram, No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures, with the automatic and 
independent brake-valves in rimning position. 



Cqjrngiit, I&09j by The Xt 



Pressure Conditions 

is passing to the brake pipe — 70 pounds — is also sup- 
plied through the rotary valve of the automatic brake- 
valve to the pipe leading to the equalizing reservoir 
(green), and its branch to the large duplex gauge, 
v/hereon its pressure is registered by the black hand 
(sometimes called ^^ chamber D pressure," because it 
is contained in that chamber of the automatic brake- 
valve). 

With both brake-valves in running position, all the 
rest of the pipes of the equipment are open to the at- 
mosphere, or at least not containing pressure any 
greater than atmospheric (as in that portion of the *^ by- 
pass attachment" where it is separated from the brake- 
pipe pressure by the closed cut-out cock, and the check- 
valve prevents main-reservoir air from entering), and 
are given the atmospheric color (orange). 

Fig. 9 B represents the distributing valve as near 
like as possible to the sectional view in Fig. 7, and such 
arbitrary changes in the location of parts and ports 
as have been made in the interest of a clear understand- 
ing have been explained; piston 10 and attachments 
represent the upper, or application, portion; piston 
26 the lower, or equalizing, portion — a triple valve, in 
effect — while the pressure chamber and application 
chamber together form the reservoir section, shown as a 
dark, circular background in Fig. 7. Unreduced main- 
reservoir pressure enters at MR and fills chamber a; 

[61] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

brake-pipe pressure is represented as entering through 
the cyhnder cap, 23, and is contained in chamber p; the 
pipe connecting at CYLS is the locomotive brake- 
cyhnder pipe; EX is the brake-cylinder exhaust port; 
II is the connection of the application-cyhnder pipe, 
and IV that of the distributing-valve release pipe. 

All parts are in the release and charging (or charged) 
positions: it is not necessary that the distributing 
valve shall be in a charged condition for the parts to 
be in this position, as there is nothing to cause them 
to change their locations if the air pump should be shut 
off and the pressures die down; release position of the 
lower portion will be taken as the result of brake-pipe 
recharge; of the upper portion, when the automatic and 
independent brake-valves are both in running position 
and the equalizing portion of the distributing valve in 
releasing positionj or with the independent brake-valve 
in release position under any circumstances. 

Brake-pipe pressure in chamber p, having forced 
equalizing piston 26 to the extreme left, finds a passage 
past the piston through feed-groove u into the com- 
partment surrounding the slide valves, and the pressure 
chamber (green); and the piston has so placed the 
graduating valve, 28, that the ports q, r, and z, and cav- 
ity / are blanked against all other communication; 
through the ports in equalizing slide valve 31 and the 
slide-valve seat, appHcation cyUnder g, the appHca- 
[62] 



Pressure Conditions 

tion chamber, and the safety valve, are all brought into 
open communication with each other — as plainly shown 
by the arrangement, and sequence of color — and also 
with the application-cylinder pipe which is blanked 
at the rotary valves of the automatic and independent 
brake-valves, and with the distributing-valve release- 
pipe which being routed through both brake valves 
finds an opening to the atmosphere at the large exhaust 
port of the automatic brake- valve; hence it is that the 
greater space of the distributing valve is shown in the 
subject plates to contain only atmospheric pressure 
(orange) , for with application cylinder ^ emptied of actua- 
ting pressure, any remaining pressure above atmospheric 
in chamber b would place apphcation piston lo in the 
release position as shown, in which the brake-cyUnder 
pressure would escape past the end of the exhaust 
valve 1 6 and through port /in that valve, to ports e and 
d in the seat, and to the atmosphere at EX, and as 
chamber b is always in direct communication with the 
brake cylinders the released condition is complete : ap- 
plication slide valve 5 being fixed in its closed position 
by the engagement of pin 18 which is fitted neat in a 
socket in a spindle of the application piston. 

The edge of piston 26 is made practically air-pressure- 
tight by a metallic packing ring, same as in an ordinary 
triple valve; and the application piston, 10, also is 
fitted with a similar packing ring, but, as it is extremely 

[63 il 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

important that the latter piston shall be as nearly leak- 
age-proof as possible, it also carries a packing leather 
of the same style as the packing of the brake-cylinder 
pistons, with the usual expanding ring within it for 
keeping the bearing surfaces of the leather in perma- 
nent contact with the walls of the apphcation cylinder. 

It is a common impression that the drain-cock, 38, 
is for the purpose of draining off the moisture, etc., 
from the equalizing portion of the distributing valve, 
because it is located just beneath the lower portion, 
but it will be seen that it is to drain chamber h and that 
portion of the cylinder containing piston 10, on the 
right, the large passage, w, trapping the moisture that 
is brought in with the main-reservoir air before it can 
pass on to the locomotive-brake cylinders, and per- 
mitting its removal through the drain-cock; if for any 
reason it should ever become necessary to bleed the 
locomotive-brake cylinders, it is apparent that this 
can be done by opening drain-cock 38; and if it should 
be left open through accident, under ordinary circum- 
stances, it would have the effect of a bad leak of brake- 
cylinder pressure that would keep application valve 
5 partly open all the time during a brake application, and 
represent an undesirable waste of main-reservoir air. 

It is hardly necessary to explain that the top side of 
the large equalizing slide valve, 31, is faced off to form 
the seat for the small graduating-valve, 28; and that 
[64] 



Details of Equalizing Portion 

the latter valve is so closely connected to the equalizing 
piston as to be, in movement, a part of it, while there 
is enough slack between the ends of the equalizing 
valve and the shoulders of the piston spindle to permit 
of a short independence of movement of the piston, this 
being identically the same as in the instruction design 
of a triple valve, Figs. 4 A to 4 d, inclusive. 

The spindle of application piston 10 has a tubular 
end containing the apphcation piston graduating-stem, 
19, confined between the graduating-stem nut and the 
graduating spring, and the duty of these parts is to assist 
the application mechanism in taking the lap position 
as the termination of an application movement. 

Feed-groove ^^ is of a size that permits the pressure 
chamber to be charged from the brake pipe in about 
the same time that is required for the auxiUary reser- 
voirs of the cars to charge — approximately one pound 
of pressure-chamber increase per second. 

It will be considered, in connection with the following 
charts of the distributing valve and piping diagrams, 
that the feed valve is adjusted to supply 70 pounds 
pressure to the brake pipe; that the excess-pressure 
governor top regulates the pump at 90 pounds in the 
main reservoir while the automatic brake-valve is in 
release, running, or holding, positions ; that the high- 
pressure governor top has control of the pump when 
the brake-valve is in positions other than stated, and 

[65] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

will permit of no pounds as the maximum main-reser- 
voir pressure. 

Automatic Service-Application Position. 

Figs. lo A and lo b represent a service application 
by the automatic brake-valve — say a lo-pound brake- 
pipe reduction (refer to Fig. lo a) ; this is primarily 
made by a lo-pound reduction of the equalizing- 
reservoir pressure which is indicated by the black hand 
of the large duplex gauge, and this automatically causes 
an equal reduction of brake-pipe pressure through the 
equalizing-discharge valve of the brake-valve, the latter 
pressure being indicated by the black hand of the small 
duplex gauge. 

The broken colors on the piping diagram indicate 
these reduced pressure conditions, and also applies to 
pressures below the normal; the small pipe that carries 
full main-reservoir pressure to the excess-pressure 
governor top when the automatic brake-valve is in 
running position is cut out from that supply when the 
brake-valve is moved toward the application position 
— as now — and its pressure is minus; the low-pressure 
governor top is thus temporarily inactive, and the pump 
starts up to add to the 90-pounds excess pressure in the 
main reservoir until it reaches no pounds when the 
action of the high-pressure governor top will stop it at 
that figure. 

[66] 



Fig. 10 B 




.. 



TENDER 

BRAKE 

CYLINDER 





ANGLE COCK 

HOS£ AND COUPLINSS— 



m 



MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE BRAKE PIPE APPLICATION PRESSURE APPLICATION REDUCING VALVE ATMOSPHERIC 
RESERVOIR CYLINDER PRESSURE CYLINDER CHAMBER CYLINDER PIPE 

PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE 



Fig. 10 B. — No. 6 Distributing Valve in Automatic 
Service- Application Position. 



Fig. 10 A.— Piping D 
vah 



lopyright, 1909, by The Norman "W. Henley Publisliing Co. 



BED HAND MAIN RESERVOIR DUPLEX GAUGE reD HAND CYLINDER 
i<D EQUALIZING RESERVOIR^Sv /^^'""'^ "*^° ^"^'^^ "^^ 

|N0. 2 



Fig. 10^ 



lATIC BRAKt VALVE ' 




FEED VALVE 
PIPE 



EXHAUST STEAM LIVE STEAM 



BRAKE VALVE 


BRAKE PIPE 


MAIN 


BRAKE 


EQUALIZING 




RESERVOIR 


CYLINDER 


RESERVOIR 









4kEN colors indicate reduced, or LOWER THAN NORMAL, PRESSURES. 

am of No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures, with the automatic brake- 
L service-application position; independent brake- valve in running position. 




Fig. 12 a.— Piping Diagram of No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures, with automatic brake- 
valve in emergency-application position, and independent brake-valve in running position. 



Automatic Service Application 

This reduction of brake-pipe pressure induces an 
actuating pressure of about 25 pounds in the applica- 
tion cylinder, which flows into the application-cylinder 
pipe and to both brake-valves, where the outlets are 
blanked; the distributing- valve release pipe is no 
longer in connection with the atmosphere, its outlet 
at the automatic brake-valve ha\dng been closed by 
the application movement of the rotary valve, and it 
is also blanked against pressure at the distributing 
valve, and so retains the atmospheric reference color 
of orange. 

The distributing valve now causes main-reservoir 
air to flow to the several brake cylinders of the locomo- 
tive until their pressure equals that of the application 
cylinder, the brake-cylinder pressure registering by 
the red hand of the small duplex gauge. 

Having learned the general pressure movements that 
induce action of the distributing valve we will now 
refer specifically to that unit of the E-T equipment which 
automatically graduates and maintains the locomotive 
braking pressure with such wonderful nicety — the Dis- 
tributing Valve, Fig. 10 b : The lo-pound reduction 
of brake-pipe pressure in chamber p has permitted 
the 70 pounds in the pressure chamber to move equal- 
izing piston 26 to the right until its button head strikes 
the graduating sleeve, 60, in which position it stops, as 
shown, without completing its maximum travel for 

[67] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

two reasons: first, the resistance of the graduating 
spring against the graduating sleeve; second, in that 
position the pressure on the left of piston 26 begins to 
reduce about as rapidly as the brake-pipe pressure is 
being discharged, for the movement of the piston has 
pulled graduating valve 28 to open port z in the big 
slide valve, 31, and the latter — the equalizing valve 
— has been drawn by a shoulder of the piston spindle 
to a position in which port z is in register with port h 
in the seat through which pressure -chamber air flows 
to appHcation cylinder g and, in connection with cavity 
n in the face of the equahzing valve and port w in its 
seat, to the appHcation chamber whose only purpose is 
to supply the space necessary for the proper expansion 
of this actuating and regulating pressure. 

Proportionate to the amount of brake-pipe reduction 
we have 25 pounds pressure in cylinder ^, and this has 
forced application piston 10 the full length of its right- 
hand stroke, compressing the spring in its tubular end 
when stem 19 strikes the cap nut, and by means of the 
engagement of pin 18 with the application valve, 5, 
moving that valve to the right until the large port 
through it is in even register with the port in the seat; 
a shoulder of piston 10 has engaged with the exhaust 
valve, 16, sliding it to the right and closing exhaust 
ports e and d in its seat; main-reservoir air now flows 

from chamber a through the port in valve 5 to chamber 
[68] 



Fig. 11 







3 C 



JC 



3 C 



JC 



MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PRESSURE APPLICATION BRAKE 
RESERVIOR PIPE CHAMBER CHAMBER CYLINDER 

PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE 

Fig. 11. — No. 6 Distributing Valve in Automatic 
Service Lap Position. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Automatic Service Lap 

b, and thence through port c and the pipe connecting 
at CYLS to the brake cyUnders. 

In this position the appUcation-cylinder air has its 
fullest connection with the safety valve (so arranged 
specially for High-Speed Brake service), cavity I in the 
graduating valve, connecting ports r and 5 in the equal- 
izing valve, through which the pressure from port h 
flows to passage / and the safety valve, as shown. 

The sequence of pressures in the pipes connecting 
with the distributing valve at II and IV has been ex- 
plained in Fig. ID A, and the blanking of the distrib- 
uting-valve connection of the latter port is here seen 
in port i and the dead cavity k in the equalizing valve. 

Automatic Service-Lap Position. 

As the sequence of an automatic-service application 
the parts within the distributing valve assume the posi- 
tion of service lap, as represented in Fig. ii; this 
phase involves no change in the pressures as indicated 
in the piping diagram that precedes this chart, and it 
will only be necessary to refer to certain changes incident 
to the distributing valve itself. 

It was assumed that the brake-pipe pressure had been 
reduced from 70 to 60 pounds; and when the pressure 
on the left of equalizing piston 26 had become a trifle 
less than the latter figure, from loss of air to the appli- 
cation chamber and application cylinder, the pressure 

[69] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

in chamber p being somewhat the stronger pushed pis- 
ton 26 to the left until the right-hand shoulder of its 
stem striking equalizing valve 31 the piston was stopped 
in the position shown; equalizing valve 31 was not 
moved, and the short, back lash of the piston effected 
nothing directly except to move graduating valve 28 
*'on lap," the latter valve closing port z to cut off 
further increase of appHcation-cylinder pressure, and 
closing communication between the application cylin- 
der and the safety valve by cutting off port r from port 
s in the equalizing valve. (It is unnecessary for the 
safety valve to be cut in to the application-cylinder 
pressure when there is no chance for that pressure to 
increase, as in the lap position; and if the safety valve 
were not cut out at this time, an obstruction between 
the valve and valve-seat would result in complete loss 
of the application-cylinder pressure and consequent 
release of the locomotive brakes.) 

Referring to the upper portion of the figure: In the 
preceding chart the pressures were increasing on both 
sides of the application piston, 10, and 25 pounds had 
accumulated in application cylinder g when its further 
increase was stopped by the closing of the graduating 
valve (lower portion) ; when that occurred, main-reser- 
voir air from chamber a continued to flow to chamber 
h and the locomotive brake cylinders until the pressure in 
the latter was probably a little greater than that in cylin- 
[70] 



Details of Application Portion 

der g, when the reaction of the coil spring in the end of 
the spindle of piston lo moved the piston and applica- 
tion valve 5 to the left, cutting off the communication 
between chambers a and b, as shown, and which tem- 
porarily closes off pressure supply to the brake cyhnders. 
The leftward movement of piston lo ceased just as 
the application valve came to its lapped position, partly 
because the frictional resistance of exhaust valve i6 
under the air pressure of chamber b was met with, and 
at that point the extending force of the coil spring was 
checked by the shoulder of graduating stem 19 striking 
the graduating-stem nut. 

I said that the supply of air to the brake cylinders 
was temporarily closed off, because any subsequent 
leakage of the locomotive brake-cylinder pressure will 
permit the application piston to move again to the right 
to application position, and the brake cylinders to be 
resuppHed at the original pressure; or, if any further 
reduction of brake-pipe pressure shall be made, both 
the upper and lower portions of the distributing valve 
will assume the positions shown in the service- appli- 
cation chart, following with the service-lap position 
in which the only difference from the subject chart will 
be suggestive — lower brake-pipe and pressure-chamber 
pressures, and higher application-cylinder and brake- 
cyhnder pressures. 

When the brake-pipe pressure has been reduced 

[71] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

by 20 pounds, the contents of the pressure chamber will 
equalize fully with the application-chamber and appli- 
cation-cylinder at a pressure of 50 pounds; any further 
reduction will be of no effect on the locomotive brakes, 
although a 25-pound reduction is necessary to insure 
the full-on application of all car brakes; further than 
that, any reduction of the brake-pipe pressure is a 
waste of air, and in such cases the lower portion of 
the distributing valve will take the same position as 
will be shown in Fig. 12 b, emergency position, next 
to follow. 

Emergency-Application Position. 

Figs. 12 A and 12 b represent an emergency appli- 
cation as the result of placing the automatic brake- 
valve in emergency position, although the distributing 
valve would assume identically the same position from 
a service brake-pipe reduction of 25 pounds, or more 
— with the exception that in the latter case the safety 
valve would probably not be unseated. 

Referring first to the piping diagram. Fig. 12 A, the 
movement of the automatic brake-valve to emergency 
position has effected a quick and heavy reduction of the 
brake-pipe pressure, as indicated by the broken color 
lines, and the effect on the distributing valve is to cause 
it to supply main-reservoir air to the locomotive-brake 
cylinders; the supply of main-reservoir pressure to 
[72] 



Fig, 12 B 




m^^;^>^.<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^W<^^^ 



MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PRESSURE APPLICATION BRAKE 

RESERVIOR PIPE CHAMBER CYLINDER CYLINDER 

PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE 





1 E 



wm 



reducing valve atmospheric sign 

pipe- 



Fig. 12 B. — No. 6 Distributing Valve in Emergency 
Position. 



Fig. 12 A. — Piping E 
valve in emergent 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



HAND MAIN RESERVOIH DUPLEX GAUGE red HAND CYLINDER 
EQUALIZINS RESERVOIR/^N ^ BLACK.HANO BRAKE PIPE 



Fig. 12 A 




BRAKE VALVE 
EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 



BRAKE 
CYLINDER 



ram of No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures, with automatic brake- 
3plication position, and independent brake- valve in rimning position. 





Fig. 12 A. — Piping Diagram of No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures, with automatic brake- 
valve in emergency-application position, and independent brake- valve in running position. 



yright, 1909, by The Non 



Emergency Application 

the excess-pressure governor top has been cut out by 
the turning movement of the rotary valve of the auto- 
matic brake-valve, and the pressure remaining in the 
pipe leading from brake-valve to governor is slowly 
reducing, also apparent from its broken color line, 
thus cutting out the low-pressure governing effect, and 
the pump is now under control of the high-pressure 
governor top, only; the equalizing-reservoir air has 
no part to play in an emergency appHcation, but its 
pressure is being slowly discharged, as indicated, 
through the automatic brake- valve; the distributing- 
valve release pipe is blanked at each terminal — the 
automatic brake- valve, and the distributing valve — and 
still retains atmospheric pressure; while the applica- 
tion-cyhnder pipe is engaged in supplying main-reser- 
voir air, as the maintaining pressure, from the automatic 
brake-valve to the application cylinder of the distribu- 
ting valve. 

Turning our attention now to the distributing valve, 
individually, the lower portion particularly (Fig. 12 b), 
equalizing piston 26 has been impelled to the right by the 
reduction of brake-pipe pressure somewhat the same as 
explained in connection with Fig. 10 b, except that in 
this case the heavier and sudden reduction permitted 
a stroke so rapid that the graduating spring was com- 
pressed and the piston completed its traverse^ seating 
against the cylinder-cap gasket; the pressure-chamber 

[73] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

air is flowing to the appHcation cyUnder, but into port 
h past the end of the equahzing shde valve instead of 
through its graduating port, z, the lower end of which 
is blanked on the equahzing- valve seat; it will be noticed 
that piston 26 has carried equahzing valve 31 to a posi- 
tion in which it has cut out the apphcation chamber 
from its association with the apphcation cyhnder, and 
this so reduces the space in connection with the latter 
that the pressure-chamber air equalizes with the apph- 
cation cylinder at 65 pounds — instead of the 50 pounds 
obtainable at fuU-service apphcations. 

Through ports q and r in the equahzing valve, the 
apphcation-cylinder pressure in port h is permitted to 
flow to port- and passage-/ and the safety valve; but the 
safety valve is adjusted at 68 pounds, and it would not 
unseat if this emergency application had been initiated 
by a break-apart of the air hose, or by the brake-valve 
on another engine, or in any manner whatever except 
by emergency position of the automatic brake-valve 
on the same engine; in the latter and present case, main- 
reservoir pressure is admitted to the apphcation cylin- 
der, as previously explained, to increase the pressuretin 
the latter to a regulated extent, and as positive insurance 
against loss of application -cyhnder pressure through 
leakage; in the present case it raises the latter pressure 
to 68 pounds, and the capacity of the safety valve is 
sufficient to prevent it raising any higher. 
[74] 



Safety Valve. High-Speed Service 

Except in making a quicker stroke, the action of the 
application portion of the distributing valve at emer- 
gency is precisely the same as at any service application, 
which was fully described in reference to Fig. iob; 
the pressure obtained in chamber b and the locomotive 
brake cyhnders will be higher at emergency apphca- 
tions, of course, corresponding as usual to the pressure 
in the application cylinder. 

In High-Speed Brake service, where the brake-pipe 
pressure is regularly carried at no pounds, and the 
main-reservoir pressure is 130 pounds or more, an 
emergency application raises the appKcation-cylinder 
pressure to 93 pounds which the safety valve at once 
begins to blow down; but the passage between cavity 
q and port r in the equalizing valve is so small that the 
ebb of apphcation-cyUnder pressure is just enough 
faster than the supply through the brake-valve, that 
the safety valve will decrease it in practically the same 
time and manner as is done by the high-speed reducing 
valve, until it is down to about 75 pounds; the reason 
why it does not blow down to 68 pounds — the pressure 
at which the safety valve is set — is because the inflow 
of air through the brake valve at the high main-reservoir 
pressure carried in high-speed service is equal, at 75 
pounds, to the outflow through the small opening to 
the safety valve. The higher brake-cylinder pressure 
at emergency application in High-Speed service, ob- 

[75] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

tainable with the No. 6 than with the No. 5 E-T equip- 
ments, makes it particularly applicable to passenger 
engines that operate the Type L, high-speed, passenger 
triple valves on the cars. 

It is practically impossible for the E-T brake to leak 
off if there is no leakage of application-cylinder pressure; 
the zone of such possible leakage includes the applica- 
tion-cylinder head, application-cylinder pipe, distrib- 
uting-valve gasket, and remotely, the rotary valves of 
the automatic and independent brake-valves, and under 
certain conditions the distributing- valve release pipe; 
also the application piston, 10, leakage past its packing 
forming one of the worst troubles incidental to the 
E-T equipment, being concealed; when an emergency 
application is made by the local automatic brake- 
valve, however, the bad effects of leakage at this point 
are usually overcome by the maintaining pressure 
from the main reservoir via the automatic brake- valve. 

Emergency -Lap Position. 

In this reacting position there is no lap of the 
lower portion of the distributing valve, as the brake- 
pipe pressure is almost, or wholly, discharged; all mov- 
able parts remain as in Fig. 12 b, until the brake-cylinder 
pressure slightly exceeds the application-cylinder pres- 
sure, when the application piston and application valve 
[76] 



Fig. 13 




wmmm^zznn i ii ^ i 1 1 zi 

MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PRESSURE APPLICATION BRAKE 
RESERVIOR PIPE CHAM3ER CHAMBER CYLINDER 

PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE 

Fig. 13. — No. 6 Distributing Valve in Emergency Lap 
Position. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Emergency Lap. Automatic Release 

move back to the position known as emergency lap, 
as shown in Fig. 13; there is no change in pressures 
from the conditions indicated in Fig. 12 A, and that 
piping diagram applies as well in connection with this 
chart. 

Automatic Release. 

When the automatic brake-valve is placed in release 
position following a brake-pipe reduction by any manner 
of application, the recharge of the brake pipe will re- 
lease all car brakes in the train, except those that may 
be held on by the cutting -in of their retaining valves, 
and the equalizing portion of the distributing valve 
on the locomotive will be moved to release position, 
without, however, releasing the locomotive brake, the 
application portion of the distributing valve remaining 
in the lapped position; see Fig. 14 b. 

The benefit secured by this means is the ability of 
the engineer to release the brakes on the cars of a long 
freight train when the speed has been sufficiently 
reduced, yet to hold the locomotive brake applied so as 
to prevent the violent surging ahead of the forward 
portion of the train as the head brakes first release, 
and thus prevent the otherwise certain parting of the 
train. 

Concerning the general pressure conditions incidental 
to this operation as indicated in the piping diagram, 

[77] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Fig. 14 A, the automatic brake- valve having been placed 
in release position main-reservoir pressure finds the 
''open door" through that valve to the brake pipe, 
quickly increasing the pressure in the latter, and re- 
supplying the pipe to the diaphragm-valve section of 
the excess-pressure top of the pump governor. The 
increase of brake-pipe pressure will be registered by 
the black hand of the small duplex gauge, and flow 
to the triple valves throughout the train, releasing all 
car brakes, but to the distributing valve on the loco- 
motive without releasing effect. Main-reservoir pres- 
sure is now flowing to the equalizing reservoir, and 
the register of the pressure in the latter by the black 
hand of the large duplex gauge can not be taken as a 
proper indication of brake-pipe pressure under present 
conditions (although before the advent of the No. 6 
E-T brake this gauge hand was the only means of show- 
ing brake-pipe pressure). The feed-valve pipe now 
has no outlet, and contains its maximum charge of 
70-pounds pressure. The application-cylinder pipe 
and distributing-valve release pipe are now in communi- 
cation with each other, filled with the pressure of the 
application cylinder, and retained by reason of the out- 
let of the release pipe being blanked at the rotary of the 
automatic brake- valve; the result naturally being that 
the locomotive brake-cylinder pressure, of equal amount, 
is also retained as indicated in the coloring. 
[78] 



Fig. 14 B 




-cl 



TENDER 

BRAKE 

CYLINDER 



lOSE AND \r;/M 

COUPLrNGS-^Wi^ 




AN6LEC0CK 
HOSE AND COUPLINGS— 



MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PRESSURE APPLICATION BRAKE APPLICATION 

RESERVOIR PIPE CHAMBER CYLINDER CYLINDER CYLINDER P'P^ 

PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE 



REDUCING VALVE ATMOSPHERIC 



Fig. 14 b. — No. 6 Distributing Valve. Recharging 
position, with locomotive brake retained. 



Fig. 14 a. — Piping Di£ 
Autom 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



RED HAND MAIN RESERVOIR DUPLEX GAUGE red HAND CYUNDER 
NO EQUALUiNSRESERVOIRx^gj^ ^^BLACICH AND BRAKE PIPE 



Fi?. 14 A 




BRAKE VALVE 
EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 



,m No. GET Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures at automatic-brake release, 
brake- valve in release position, independent brake-valve in running position. 





Fig. 14 b. — No. 6 Di.stributing Valve. Recharging 
position, with locomotive brake retained. 



Fig. 14 a. — Piping Diagram No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures at automatic-brake release. 
Automatic brake-valve in release position, independent brake- valve in running position. 



Copyright, 1B09, by Tl 



Holding Effect of Locomotive Brake 

In the DISTRIBUTING VALVE, FiG. 14 B, the increase 
of brake-pipe pressure in chamber p has forced the 
equaHzing portion to release position, but as there can 
be no automatic release until the distributing-valve 
release pipe from IV shall be re-opened to the atmos- 
phere by the automatic brake-valve being returned to 
running position, the only effect is to re-connect the 
application chamber with the application cylinder, and 
their combined volume with the distributing-valve 
release pipe. With no release of application-cyHnder 
air, piston lo and appHcation valve 5, and exhaust 
valve 16, remain in the lapped condition as shown; 
there is no maintaining pressure being now supphed 
to the application cylinder, and the safety valve is seated. 

If the release position of the automatic brake- valve 
had followed a service appKcation, there would be no 
change made whatever in the distributing-valve pres- 
sures; but with the recharge of the brake pipe after an 
emergency application the application chamber is 
found empty of pressure, and its consequent equahza- 
tion with the application cyKnder when the equalizing 
valve is moved to release position somewhat reduces 
the pressure of the application cylinder, and this should 
be followed by a movement of application piston 10 to 
the left and a quick ''pop" of brake-cyhnder pressure 
escaping from the exhaust port at EX; the pressure in 
chamber h being thus relieved of its excess over that in 

[79] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

application cylinder g, the application portion at once 
resumes the lap position as shown. 

Meanwhile, of course, the pressure chamber is be- 
coming recharged through feed-groove u; and before it 
(and the auxiliary reservoirs of the cars in the train) 
has had time to overcharge (above 70 pounds), the 
automatic brake- valve will be returned, either to holding 
position or running position ; if the former, no change 
whatever occurs except that the brake pipe will receive 
its charge from the 70-pound feed-valve pipe; if the 
running position is taken, in addition to the brake- 
pipe supply being received from the feed-valve pipe the 
distributing-valve release pipe will be thrown open 
to the atmosphere at the automatic brake-valve and the 
locomotive brake will fully release; this phase being 
already fully described both in piping diagram and 
distributing- valve chart, Figs. 9 A and 9B, ^^ release 
and charging position." 



[80] 







3 C 



J C 



-^ 



TENDER 

BRAKE 

CYLINDER 



HOSE AND NjJChgrH 
COUPLINSS^'Wi^.r' 




ANGLE COCK 
■HOSE AND COUPLINGS. 



wm 



MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PRESSURE APPLICATION BRAKE APPLICATION REDUCING VALVE ATMOSPHERIC SIGN 

RESERVOIR PIPE CHAMBER CYLINDER CYLINDER CYLINDER PIPE 

PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE 



Fig. 15 b. — No. 6 Distributing Valve. Independent 
application position. 



Fig. 15 a. — Piping Diagi 
valve in application p« 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



) HAND MAIN RESERVOIR DUPLEX GAUGE RED HAND CYUNDEfl 
EQUALrZINSRESERVOIR/^^ ^^BLACICHAKO BRAKE PIPE 

))N0. 2 




Fig. 15 A 



PPLICATION CYLIN 



EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 



5EE0VALVEPIPE-V 



MAIN RESERVO.R PIPE 
BY-PASS FOR CHARGING ^'pipj 
„ DEAD ENGINE* T 

I PIPE ^^/'V^^FJXTURES 

CUT-OUT COCK ^ 

STRAINER AND CHECK 
DISTRIBUTING VAtvE RELEASE PIPE I 



o 




BRAKE CYLINDER PIPE' 



HOSE CONNECTI0^ii^— %Mlff "^lil_ _ 

--^11 TRUCK III! 
P BRAKE nil 



r 



FEED VALVE 
PIPE 



EXHAUST STEAM LIVE STEAM 



BRAKE VALVE 
EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 



MAIN 
RESERVOIR 



BRAKE 
CYLINDER 



^ No. 6 E T Equipment. Independent locomotive-brake application. Independent brake- 
ion, automatic brake-valve in running position. Colors showing sequence of pressures. 




Fig. 15 b. — No. 6 Distributing Valve. Independent 
application position. 



—Piping Diagram No. 6 E T Equipment. Independent locomotive-brake application. Independent brake- 
application position, automatic brake-valve in running position. Colors showing sequence of pressures. 



The Independent Brake- Valve 

INDEPENDENT LOCOMOTIVE-BRAKE 
APPLICATION, 

BY INDEPENDENT BRAKE-VALVE. 

Attention will now be given to the effects from the 
operation of the engineer's independent brake- 
valve, first, in applying the locomotive brake while 
the automatic brake-valve remains in running position, 
and secondly, the consequent position of independent 
lap taken by the distributing valve; followed by a de- 
scription of the manner in which the driver and tender 
brakes may be released independently of the train 
brakes after all have been automatically appKed, and 
while the automatic brake- valve remains on lap. 

The first condition is represented in Figs. 15 A and 
15 B — Independent Locomotive-Brake Application. 
Referring to the piping diagram, the automatic brake- 
valve is in running position, and all pipes supplied by 
it with pressure are charged as explained in its common, 
running position. The independent brake-valve han- 
dle has been turned to application position causing 
the reducing-valve pipe pressure to flow to the applica- 
tion-cylinder pipe, and through it in one direction to 
the automatic brake- valve where that pipe is blanked 
under the rotary valve, and to the distributing valve 

where it. actuates the application mechanism (nearing 

[81] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the latter, the pipe is given the color of the appHcation- 
cyHnder pressure) ; at the distributing valve the appli- 
cation-cyUnder pressure fills the distributing-valve 
release pipe through which it only flows as far as the 
rotary of the independent brake-valve, being separated 
there, now, from its branch pipe connecting with the 
automatic brake-valve, the latter section of pipe being 
still open to the atmosphere through the rotary of the 
latter valve. 

As the pressure of the reducing-valve pipe is being 
used as the actuating pressure, the check-valve in the 
fitting called ''strainer and check-valve^^ prevents signal- 
pipe pressure from returning and so reducing as to 
cause the air-signal whistle to blow. 

The action of the distributing valve resulting from 
the supply of reducing-valve pressure will be to cause 
main-reservoir air to flow to the brake cylinders of the 
locomotive, as indicated in color on the piping diagram. 
The reducing valve is commonly adjusted at 45 pounds, 
and whether the independent brake-valve is permitted 
to supply the full amount or only a portion of that pres- 
sure to the distributing valve, the latter will give an 
equal charge to the brake cylinders. Other than as 
stated, the pressure conditions remain as characterized 
throughout the piping in the usual running position 
of the brake-valves. 

Referring to the distributing valve itself — ^Fig. 15 b 
[82] 



Running Position. Independent Lap 

— it will be understood that the lower portion remains 
undisturbed, there being no reduction of brake-pipe 
pressure. The reducing-valve pressure, entering at 
II, passes directly to the application cylinder, g, and 
forcing piston lo to the right, the operation of the appli- 
cation portion will be as usual in the cases heretofore 
described which should be generally understood by 
this time; the main-reservoir air from chamber a flowing 
to the locomotive brake cylinders through the brake- 
cylinder pipe connecting at CYLS. The appHcation- 
cylinder pressure supplied from the reducing valve 
flows, via ports h, k, and w, to the application chamber 
which supplies the volume necessary in regulating a 
graduated application; through ports h, k, and i, it 
flows to the distributing- valve release pipe at IV; and 
through ports h, s, and /, the application -cylinder pres- 
sure also passes to the safety valve, which, in case the 
reducing valve should become defective and permit 
the full main-reservoir pressure to be supplied, would 
unseat itself and endeavor to reduce the excess of 
pressure over 68 pounds. 

Independent Lap Position. 

The appKcation portion of the distributing valve 
will take the lap position following a locomotive- 
brake application by the independent brake-valve in 
any degree of pressure up to the full 45 pounds sup- 

L83] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

plied by it from the reducing valve, for the reason that 
the braking air from the main reservoir is always at a 
higher pressure and will compel the lapping whenever 
the brake-cylinder pressure equals, or sHghtly exceeds, 
that in the appUcation cyHnder. The lapping move- 
ment of the appHcation portion of the distributing 
valve is similar at all applications of the brake, and was 
explained in reference to Figs, ii and 13; Fig. 16 
shows it in the position of independent lap. It should 
be understood that this does not necessarily imply the 
lapping of the independent brake-valve — which latter 
would simply mean that the independent brake-valve 
had been so moved as to cut off the supply of reducing- 
valve pressure to the application cylinder. 

In connection with this it should be noted that the 
equalizing portion of the distributing valve not having 
changed from its so-called release and charging position 
during the course of the independent appUcation and 
resultant lap of the appUcation valve, on that account 
the safety valve is still connected to the appUcation 
cylinder in this position, and when it becomes necessary 
to hold the locomotive for some time with the independ- 
ent brake-valve while standing, that brake valve should 
not be returned to the lap position, as a leak in the safety 
valve from scale or other obstruction between valve 
and seat would soon discharge the application-cyUnder 
pressure and release the locomotive brake. Under the 
[84] 



Fig. 16 




MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PRESSURE APPLICATION BRAKE 

RESERVOIR PIPE CHAMBER CYLINDER CYLINDER 

PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE 

Fig. 16. — No. 6 Distributing Valve, Independent Lap 
Position. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Xorman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Independent-Brake Release 

circumstances always leave the independent brake-valve 
in full application position, and so long as it is there, 
and the pump is compressing air, you will have ''a 
brake that won't come off.'' 

Independent Locomotive-Brake Release, 
After Automatic Application. 

When an automatic appHcation of the brakes has been 
made, either service or emergency, by the automatic 
brake-valve, or from train-parting, or in any other man- 
ner whatever, the locomotive brakes can always be 
released, in full or in part, without interfering with the 
appHcation of train brakes, by placing the independent 
brake-valve in release position. In the accompanying 
plate representing that phase of action, Figs. 17 A and 
17 B, it is to be considered that an automatic service 
application of the locomotive and train brakes had 
been made by the automatic brake- valve which is now 
standing in the lap position, and the independent 
brake-valve is being held in its release position. It 
should be considered, in fact, that all parts of the loco- 
motive-brake equipment had been in exactly the state 
as described in reference to Fig. 11, descriptive of 
service-lap position, and the locomotive brake-cylinder 
pressure was subsequently discharged by the independ- 
ent brake- valve. 

Referring to the piping diagram. Fig. 17 a, the inde- 

[85] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

pendent brake- valve having been placed in release 
position, a port in its rotary valve has opened that 
terminal of the application-cylinder pipe to the atmos- 
phere, thus discharging the application-cylinder pres- 
sure, and effecting the discharge at the distributing 
valve of the locomotive brake-cylinder pressure; al- 
though the piping for both pressures referred to is given 
the atmospheric color {orange) ^ indicating that they 
have been entirely emptied, and the brake completely 
released, independent release may only mean a partial 
discharge of the appHcation-cyhnder pressure with a 
return to lap position of the independent brake-valve, 
and a partial release of the locomotive brake, as the 
latter can be graduated off — something impossible with 
the automatic brake.* 

The distributing-valve release pipe is uncolored in 
the two figures of this plate, as it contains no pressure 
above atmospheric, being cut off from any pressure 
connections at the distributing valve, and is denied 
the color indicative of atmospheric air (orange), be- 
cause it is also cut off from the latter by the rotary 
of the automatic brake-valve, and is intermediately 



* An exception to this statement should be allowed, as the lately 
devised ''Type L, High-Speed, Quick-Service," passenger triple- 
valve can be graduated off after an application, by partial recharges 
of the brake pipe; but this advantage is only to be taken when all 
of the cars in the train are equipped with the Type L triple valves. 
[86] 



Fiq: 17 B 




I I 



3 I I 



MAIN AXM.OSPHERIC BRAKE APPLICATION PRESSURE 

RESERVOIR PIPE CYLINDER CHAMBER 

PRESSURE P.RESSURE P.RESSURE AIR 



c 



TENDER 

BRAKE 

CYLINDER 



X 

COUPLlNSS-^99 




AM6LEC0CI 

HOSE AND COUPLINGS. 



I I li I 

REDUCING VALVE ATMOSPHERIC SKJ 

PIPB 



Fig. 17 b. — No. 6 Distributing Valve. Independent 
release position after automatic application. 



Fig. 17 a.— Piping ] 
brake release afl 
lap position. B? 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



RED HAND MAIN PESERVOIR DUPLEX GAUGE red HAND CYUNDER 

(D EQUALIZINSRESERV0!3,,i^X ^^A^ BLACK.HAND BRA<E PIRE 



Fig 17^ 




FEED VALVE 
PIPE 



EXHAUST STEAM LIVE STEAM 



BRAKE VALVE 
EQUALIZING 
RESERVOIR 



1 n 



MAIN 
RESERVOIR 



^ram No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures at independent locomotive- 
lutomatic application. Independent brake- valve in release position, automatic brake- valve in 
en colors show reduced, or less than normal, pressures. 





Fig. 17 b. — No. 6 Distributing Valve. Independent 
release position after automatic application. 



Fig. 17 a. — Piping Diagram No. 6 E T Equipment. Colors showing sequence of pressures at independent locomotive- 
brake release after lutomatic application. Independent brake- valve in release position, automatic brake-valve in 
lap position. Broken colors show reduced, or less than normal, pressures. 



Graduating Off 

blanked by the rotary of the independent brake- 
valve. 

Following an automatic service-application, if a grad- 
uated, or partial, release of the locomotive brake is made 
by the independent brake-valve the reduced braking 
pressure will remain constant (unless automatically 
increased by brake-pipe leakage), and if the release is 
complete the locomotive brake will stay off, under the 
conditions; but after an emergency application by the 
automatic brake-valve, any of the application-cylinder 
pressure that may be discharged by the independent 
brake-valve will be resupplied through the maintaining 
port in the automatic brake-valve, and the brake- 
cyKnder pressure will be built up as fast as it is released, 
after the independent brake- valve has been lapped; so, 
to independently release the locomotive brake under 
emergency conditions, it is necessary to hold the inde- 
pendent brake-valve in release position as long as the 
automatic brake-valve remains in emergency- applica- 
tion position. 

Fig. 17 B shows the distributing valve in the position 
of Independent Release; it will be unnecessary to 
allude to the lower portion any further than to note 
that it holds the same position as is usual at service lap, 
which was explained in connection with Fig. 11, having 
no effect on the independent release, nor would it make 
any particular difference if the equalizing portion had 

[87] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

taken the emergency position, as shown in Fig. 12 B. 
The discharge of pressure from the appUcation cyHnder 
at the left of appHcation piston 10 has resulted in the 
piston being moved to the left, as shown, by the pressure 
in chamber h on the right, thus opening the exhaust ports 
e, and d, through which the brake-cylinder pressure is 
exhausted to the atmosphere; if all of the application- 
cylinder pressure should be discharged, the applica- 
tion piston will remain in the release position as shown 
in the plate, and the brake-cylinder pressure will be 
fully released; but if the former pressure should be 
only partially discharged and the independent brake- 
valve returned to lap position, as soon as the brake- 
cylinder pressure in chamber h is exhausted to slightly 
less than the pressure remaining on the left of the piston, 
the appUcation mechanism will be moved to the right 
until the exhaust ports, e, and d, are closed, and then 
will stop in the lap position, in which case all parts 
of the distributing valve will have assumed the same 
positions as they were shown in Fig. 11 — automatic 
service lap. 



[88] 



Quick-Action Triple Valve 



THE QUICK-ACTION DISTRIBUTING VALVE. 

NO. 6 DISTRIBUTING VALVE WITH QUICK-ACTION 
CYLINDER CAP. 

With the advent of aU-air-braked trains it became 
necessary to supply additional functions to the plain 
triple-valves referred to earlier in this work; no changes 
were found necessary in its action in response to service 
reductions, but at emergency applications on long, 
air-braked trains, the forward brakes would apply 
with full force before the brakes on the rear cars had 
started to set, resulting in the sudden ''bunching'' 
of trains with disastrous effects; in other words, the 
slack between the cars would close-in more rapidly 
than the brakes could serially apply throughout the 
train from front to rear. 

Then the quick-action triple valve was evolved for 
freight and passenger cars, in the service action of which 
there was no difference from that of the plain triple- 
valve; but, following a quick, heavy reduction, the 
new triple was devised to discharge a portion of the 
brake-pipe air, and — further — to make this discharge 
into the brake cylinder, before the latter could receive 
any appreciable amount of auxiliary-reservoir pressure, 
resulting in an increased braking pressure at emergency 

[89] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

as well as securing the full-on application of the rear- 
ward brakes before the slack could run in. 

It has been found desirable in recent years to apply 
quick-action triple-valves to locomotive tenders, and 
this is particularly necessary when in case of double- 
heading, the engineer of the leading locomotive operates 
the brakes, as, if both engines and tenders are equipped 
with plain triple valves it is quite commonly impossible 
for him to secure quick action of the train brakes, 
owing to the large volume of brake-pipe air to be re- 
duced between his brake-valve and the quick-action 
triple on the first car, and the resistance to air flow 
due to the several short bends and possible elbows in 
the brake pipe of both locomotives. As the E-T 
locomotive brake depends upon the distributing valve 
for the regulation of brake-cylinder pressure, and the 
graduating portion of the ordinary distributing valve 
acts on the same principle as the plain triple-valve, it 
follows that it is just as necessary that the distributing 
valve should possess the same quick-action feature of 
brake-pipe air- vent at emergency applications; on 
the theory, however, that some railroads do not en- 
courage the double-heading of trains, the Westinghouse 
Air Brake Company furnish the distributing valve 
of the latest improved E-T equipment. No. 6 type, 
without the quick-action device, unless such shall be 
specified when ordering. 
[90] 



Fig. 18 




MAIN 
RESERVOIR 
PRESSURE 



BRAKE PIPE 
PRESSURE 



3 C 



PRESSURE 
CHAMBE.R 



3 C 



ATI«OSRHERlC 



Fig. 18. — No. 6 Distributing Valve with Quick-Action Cylinder 
Cap. Released and charging position. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Quick-Action Cylinder Cap 

Displacing the plain cap, or head, of the lower por- 
tion of the distributing valve and substituting the 
''Quick- Action Cylinder Cap" is all that is neces- 
sary to change the No. 6 equipment to a quick-action 
locomotive brake, and Figs. i8 and 19 show the dis- 
tributing valve with the improved attachment. 



[91] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



NO. 6 DISTRIBUTING VALVE WITH 
QUICK-ACTION CYLINDER CAP. 

RELEASE AND CHARGING POSITION. 

Fig. 1 8 represents the distributing valve with Quick- 
Action Cylinder Cap, with all operative parts in the 
released and charging position; the conditions that 
exist within the distributing valve are the same as were 
described in connection with Fig. 9 b, and are, pre- 
sumably, well understood; the piping diagram of Fig. 
9 A will also apply as an adjunct to this distributing- 
valve chart, and need not be reproduced. 

Referring to the quick-action cylinder cap, the grad- 
uating spring, 46, and the graduating stem, 59, appear, 
as in the plain cylinder-cap, except that stem 59 is 
lengthened and made to engage the emergency slide- 
valve, 48, between its shoulders; with the graduating 
spring relaxed within its limit, as shown, the slide 
valve covers port j in the seat, and brake-pipe air en- 
tering at BP only fills the slide-valve chamber of the 
cylinder cap, flowing thence into chamber p of the dis- 
tributing-valve proper, and, as usual, through feed- 
groove u to the pressure chamber. 

The provision of passageway m that carries the brake- 
cylinder air down to the lower part of the equalizing 
portion of the distributing valve is now seen to have 
[92] 



Fip:. 19 




MAIN -ATMOSPHERI.C BRAKE PIPE APPLICATION BRAKE APPLICATION 

RESERVOIR PRESSURE CYLINDER CYLINDER CHAMBER 

PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE AIR 

Fig. 19.— No. 6 Distributing Valve with Quick-Action Cylinder 
Cap. Emergency position. 



Copyriglit, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



Quick- Action Cylinder Cap 

been for the purpose of affording brake-cylinder pres- 
sure connection with the quick-action cylinder cap in 
the possible case of its use; passage m opens into the 
lower chamber under the rubber-seated, emergency 
check-valve 53, the check-valve being held to its seat 
in the absence of brake-cylinder pressure by the spring, 
54. The intermediate chamber, x, is closed against 
either brake-pipe pressure or brake-cylinder air, now, 
and is therefore given no reference color. 

At graduated service applications, equalizing piston 
26 moves only to contact with graduating stem 59, with- 
out compressing the graduating spring or moving the 
emergency sHde-valve, and the brake-cylinder pressure 
can only fill the check-valve chamber of the cylinder 
cap; so that no unusual results are obtained, except 
from emergency applications. 

Emergency Position. 

Fig. 19 represents the distributing valve with quick- 
action cyhnder cap in emergency position. When a 
sudden, heavy reduction of brake-pipe pressure is made, 
the effect on the equalizing and appHcation portions of 
the distributing valve is precisely the same as was de- 
scribed with reference to Fig. 12 b, emergency position; 
but the full stroke of the equalizing piston, compressing 
the graduating spring in the quick-action cylinder cap, 
carries emergency slide-valve 48 with it and uncovers 

[93] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

port j in the slide-valve seat; brake-pipe air from 
chamber p rushing down through port j fills chamber 
X where its pressure unseats the emergency check- 
valve, 53, and flows to the passage, m, thence to passage 
c and the locomotive brake-cylinders through the pipe 
connecting at CYLS. 

This described action takes place at the instant piston 
26 strikes the quick-action cylinder-cap gasket, and, 
as main-reservoir air can not flow to the brake cylinders 
until — as the result of piston 26's stroke — pressure- 
chamber air has filled application cylinder g and forced 
piston 10 to the right to unseat application valve 5 — 
it is obvious that brake-pipe pressure is the first to 
reach the brake cylinders; with the opening of the 
application valve the supplying pressures commingle 
in passage c as brake -cylinder air, which, when it be- 
comes equal to the lowering pressure of the brake pipe, 
will permit check valve 53 to seat and prevent the brake- 
cylinder air from flowing back to the brake pipe through 
the open port, j; and, as soon as the brake-cyHnder 
pressure becomes as great as the pressure in the appli- 
cation cylinder, piston 10 will close application valve 
5, this upper portion assuming the lap position in the 
same manner that has been described repeatedly 
before. 

Results from the quick-action, cylinder cap produce 
no effect in the rest of the locomotive-brake equipment 
[94] 



Pressure Conditions 

to differ from the action where the plain cylinder cap 
is used; merely, in the former case there is a more 
rapid reduction of brake-pipe pressure, and a conse- 
quent economy in the use of main-reservoir pressure. 
A piping diagram to accompany Fig. 19 would be ex- 
actly the same in outHne and reference colors as Fig. 12 A. 

In the case of quick-action triple valves, the vent 
of brake-pipe air at emergency appHcations will give 
a higher brake-cylinder pressure than can be obtained 
by a full, service appHcation, and it may be imagined 
that because the No. 6 distributing valve gives a higher 
brake-cyhnder pressure at an emergency than at a full, 
service application, that this, also, is due to the air 
received from the brake pipe; such is not the case, 
however, as the same difference in pressures is obtained 
with the use of the plain cylinder cap; and the reason 
for the increased pressure at emergency was explained 
in connection with Figs. 12 a and 12 b — before the 
quick-action attachment to the distributing valve was 
taken up. Regardless of from how many sources the 
brake-cylinder pressure is obtained, it can not become 
greater than the pressure in the application cylinder, 
and when it approaches an excess over that, the exhaust 
valve (16) will reduce it to an equalization with the 
application-cylinder pressure. 

Service brake-pipe reductions of 25 pounds or more 
will cause the equalizing portion of the distributing 

[95] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

valve, and the emergency sHde-valve, to assume the 
same positions as represented in Fig. 19, but by the 
time the brake-pipe air is so far exhausted as that, the 
brake-cyhnder pressure in passage m and the check- 
valve chamber will be equal to it, or greater, and check 
valve 53 can not be unseated. To secure full emergency 
action, the appKcation must be made with brake cyHn- 
ders (previously) empty; partial emergency is obtainable 
only so long as the brake-pipe pressure is appreciably 
greater than that in the brake cylinders; but after a 
service reduction of as much as 15 pounds, no quick- 
action results may be expected. 



[96] 



Details E-6 Safety Valve 

THE E-6 SAFETY VALVE. 

Used on the No. 6 Distributing Valve. 

Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of the E-6 safety* 
VALVE that has been shown attached to the distributing 
valve in each of the preceding colored charts of the 
No. 6 E-T equipment. It is a quick-closing valve seat- 
ing with a ^^pop" action, unlike the ordinary safety 
valves, is sensitive in operation and responds to slight 
differences in pressure. 

The names of the parts of the safety valve are: 2, 
Body; 3, Cap Nut; 4, Valve; 5, Valve Stem; 6, Ad- 
justing Spring; 7, Adjusting Nut. In each of the 
distributing-valve charts a strainer, 43, is seen just un- 
der the safety valve, and this piece should be included 
in the parts, although not appearing in the individual 
plate. Fig. 20; its use is essential, to prevent loose 
scale or other matter from being carried to the safety 
valve and lodging on the seat to make a leak that 
would result in the loss of brake-cylinder pressure. 

The valve, 4, is cylindrical in form, j&tting neatly in 
the surrounding bush which acts as a guide, and is held 
to its seat by the compression of spring 6 between the 
shoulder of the valve stem and adjusting nut 7. 
When the air pressure beneath valve 4 becomes greater 
than the resistance of the spring, the valve raises from 

[97] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 




Copyright, 1909, by The Normau W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 20.— E-6 Safety Valve. Used on the No. 6 distributing valve. 
[98] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

its seat and then exposes a larger area to the air pressure 
which quickens its upward movement and prevents 
the valve from '^chattering" on its seat. 

Two ports are drilled in the valve bush upward to 
the spring chamber; and two are drilled outward 
through the bush and valve body to the atmosphere, 
although but one of each of these is shown in the cut. 
The lift of the valve is determined by the stem, 5, 
striking cap nut 3, when it closes the two vertical ports 
in the bush connecting the valve chamber and spring 
chamber, and opens the two lower ports to the atmos- 
phere; as the exhausting pressure of the air below the 
valve becomes less than the pressure of the spring, the 
latter forces the stem and valve downward, during the 
movement of which the valve restricts the lower ports 
to the atmosphere and opens those between the valve 
and spring chambers, and the discharging air pressure 
then has access to the spring chamber; this chamber 
is always connected to the atmosphere by two small 
holes through the body, 2, and the air from the valve 
chamber, entering more rapidly than it can escape 
through these holes, causes pressure to accumulate 
above the valve and assist the spring to close it with 
the ''pop" action before mentioned. 

This safety valve used in connection with the No. 6 
distributing valve should be adjusted for 68 pounds; 
this is done by removing cap nut 3 and screwing 

[99] 



Care of Safety Valve 

adjusting nut 7 down to raise, or up to lower, the 
pressure, and after the proper adjustment is made cap 
nut 3 must be replaced and securely tightened, and 
tested by operating with pressure a few times. The 
adjustment is more easily and accurately done on a 
shop testing rack. 

The safety valve requires some attention and care. 
Particularly, it must be seen to that the holes in the 
valve body are always open, but they must not be reamed 
out by those who erroneously imagine that the capacity 
for pressure discharge should be increased — especially 
as to the two upper holes. 

Occasionally the safety valve should be removed 
from the distributing valve, the strainer taken out and 
cleaned and the air passage that leads to the safety 
valve blown out by placing the independent brake- 
valve in application position. The safety valve should 
be taken to a bench and cleaned; remove the cap and 
adjusting nuts, the spring and stem; then invert the 
body and shake out the valve, 4, being careful that it 
shall fall on nothing hard that may dent or burr it; 
clean the inside of the body and the several holes referred 
to, and the valve bush; clean the valve, and rub a thin 
film of graphite air-brake and triple-valve grease around 
its sides and on the valve bush; replace everything, 
readjust to the correct pressure as before explained, re- 
attach the safety valve to the distributing valve, and test. 
[100] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

This should be done whenever the safety valve is 
taken off for adjustment, but the cleaning should not 
be delayed on that account. Situated where the dis- 
tributing valve usually is, a great deal of gritty dust 
enters the safety valve through the small holes and, 
finding its way in between the periphery of the valve 
and the valve bush, becomes ground in and causes the 
valve to stick, or act irregularly. 

The final test for pressure adjustment should be made 
with cap nut 3 screwed down tight against the safety- 
valve body as, with the cap removed, when the valve 
hfts from its seat it can rise so high as to close the lower 
ports from the valve chamber to the atmosphere, as well 
as the vertical ports through the bush; in which case 
the only discharge of pressure will be that which can 
leak around the sides of the valve. 



[lOl] 



Engineer's Brake- Valves 

ENGINEER'S BRAKE-VALVES OF THE 
NO. 6 E-T EQUIPMENT. 

The H-6 Automatic Brake- Valve. 

Fig. 21 is a photographic view of the H-6 automatic 
BRAKE- VALVE with pipe bracket, complete, and Fig. 22 
shows the same valve separated from its pipe bracket; 
for, like all of the other most important valves of the E-T 
equipment, the brake- valve proper can be removed for 
inspection or repair without disturbing any of the pipe 
joints. Fig. 21^ shows two views of the brake-valve, 
with the addition of a plan, or transparent top view, 
of the rotary valve; the upper view of the brake- valve 
is taken from the top, on a section through the rotary- 
valve chamber, the rotary valve being removed; the 
lower one is a vertical section. In these views the pipe 
connections are indicated. Fig. 24 is a top view of 
the brake-valve, charting the different positions of the 
operating handle. 

Referring to Fig. 24 and beginning at the left, we 
have Release Position; use of this position should 
only be made when the brake-pipe pressure has been re- 
duced below the normal charge, and it is desired to re- 
lease the train brakes; it has the effect of connecting the 
main reservoir directly with the brake pipe, and after 

it is believed that the brake-pipe pressure has been 
[102] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

increased sufficiently to release all car brakes the handle 
must be moved to the second position, and it should 
never be left in release position long enough for the 
brake pipe to charge above the normal pressure — 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 21. — H-6 Automatic Brake- Valve. Complete. 

usually 70 pounds. The locomotive brake, however, 
will not be released by the recharge of the brake pipe. 
In the second, or Running, Position the locomotive 
brake will be released and held so, and this is its normal 
carrying position; the direct connection from main 

[103] 



H-6 Brake- Valve 



reservoir to brake pipe is now cut off, and air is supplied 
to the brake pipe from the 70-pound, feed-valve pipe. 
In the third, or Holding, Position the 70-pound 




Copyriglit, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 22. — H-6 Automatic Brake- Valve. Removed from its pipe 

bracket. 

[ 104 ] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

pressure supply to the brake pipe is continued; it is, 
in effect, another running position, except that the 
release ports of distributing-valve and locomotive-brake 
cyHnder pressures are closed. In returning the brake 

AUTOMATIC BRAKE VALVE 
H-6 




Copyriglit, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publislting Co. 

Fig. 24. — Positions of Automatic Brake-Valve Handle. 

valve from release position it is a good plan always to 
go quickly to holding position, direct; this permits 
time for the afterthought as to whether it is best to 

[105] 



Handle Positions 

release the locomotive brake at once, or to hold it on 
and so keep the head end from surging ahead until the 
rear brakes of the train have had ample time to fully 
release; the latter results will be attained by keeping 
the brake-valve in the holding position for a few mo- 
ments, and meanwhile the brake pipe, the car auxiliary 
reservoirs, and the pressure chamber of the locomotive 
distributing-valve are receiving the normal presjure- 
recharge. When it is desired, the brake-valve handle 
can be moved back to running position and the loco- 
motive brake will release. 

In the fourth, or Lap, Position all separable connec- 
tions in the brake-valve are blanked ; this is a negative 
position, and is to be taken after a graduated, or service, 
reduction of brake-pipe pressure has been made, to 
hold the brake conditions in a fixed state; pressure is 
no longer being supplied to the brake pipe, and there is 
no further reduction of the latter, except from leakage. 

Service Application is the fifth position; feed of air 
to the brake pipe is still cut off, and the brake-pipe 
pressure is being reduced through the equalizing-dis- 
charge valve of the brake-valve, but so gradually that 
the sensitive quick-action triple valves on the cars, and 
the distributing valve on the locomotive, will apply 
their respective brakes with a degree of force commen- 
surate with the amount of reduction, yet not permit 
emergency action. When the desired reduction has 

[io6] 



The E"T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

been made — as indicated by the black hand of the large 
duplex gauge — the handle is to be returned to the lap 
position. 

If the quickest and most powerful action of the brakes 
is desired, the brake-valve handle should be turned 
to Emergency Application, which is the sixth and 
last position to the right on the brake- valve; there is 
no supply of air to the brake pipe, and the pressure of 
the latter is discharged through a very large port in 
the brake-valve, causing such a quick and heavy reduc- 
tion as to throw all triple valves and the distributing 
valve into emergency action; the brakes of a train of 
any length will apply at emergency much quicker than 
the slack can be run in solid from the rear end. 

In the E-T equipment the brake-valve has been 
simplified in its functions over the brake-valve of the 
common, automatic system in which the feed valve was 
an integral part. In the H-6 brake-valve there are but 
two operative parts to study: the rotary valve thdit is 
operated by the brake-valve handle, the duty of which 
is to distribute the pressures that flow through the brake- 
valve; and the equalizing-discharge valve that automati- 
cally measures the discharge of brake-pipe pressure dur- 
ing a service application. An understanding of the 
operation of these two parts will give the air-brake 
student the knowledge that is necessary in regard to 

Westinghouse brake-valves of all types — if we add an 

[107] 



Details of H-6 Brake- Valve 

explanation of the brake-pipe feed-valve, which will 
follow later. 

Referring to Fig. 2;^^, lower view: in this vertical, 
sectional cut, main-reservoir pressure is shown entering 
the lower piece of the brake-valve body termed the 
PIPE BRACKET, 5; the pipe connection referred to can 
be made from either the side or the bottom, the unused 
opening plugged; the supporting stud (No. 25, upper 
view) is in this lower piece, making it a permanent 
attachment to the boiler or other rigid base; and as the 
other three parts that form the body of the brake-valve 
are bolted together independently of the pipe bracket, 
the brake-valve proper may be removed without the 
disconnection of pipe joints, as the latter are all made 
to the pipe bracket direct. 

This necessitates a number of ports through the sec- 
tions of the brake-valve body, and the intermediate 
gaskets; thus the main-reservoir pressure is shown 
passing up through each and filling the top case, 4, 
in which the pressure covers the rotary valve, 6, 
In this plate the brake-valve is represented with the 
rotary valve in running position, in which the main- 
reservoir pressure goes no further than the top and 
sides of the rotary valve, except through a small port 
in the rotary valve and seat to the pipe connection, as 
shown in the upper view, leading to the excess-pressure 

governor top. 
[108] 



Fig. 23 



FEED VALVE 
yi" PIPE TAP 




PIPE TAP 

equalizing' reservoir 



THE H-6 AUTOMATIC BRAKE VALVE. 

RUNNING POSITION 



I I c 



MAIN ATMOSPHERIC BRAKE PIPE EQUALIZING FEED 
RESERVOIR PRESSURE RESERVOIR VALVE PIPE 

PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co, 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

The connections through the automatic brake- valve;" 
as estabhshed in the different positions of the rotary- 
valve handle, will be made plainer in the views subse- 
quently to be given that will represent the rotary valve 
as transparent, and in the course of the description 
the reader will be referred back to this plate occasionally. 
The highest plane of the middle piece of the brake- 
valve body, 3, forms the seat of the rotary valve, and 
this casting is catalogued in whole as rotary-valve 
SEAT. The lower portion of the brake-valve proper 
— piece 2 — is called bottom case, and contains the 

EQUALIZING-DISCHARGE PISTON AND VALVE, 1 5. The 

three large gaskets making the joints between the three 

sections of the brake-valve proper, and the pipe bracket, 

are named as follows: 17, upper gasket; 18, middle 

gasket; and 19, lower gasket. The large cavity 

in the center of the rotary-valve seat, marked EX, 

opens to the atmosphere through the large exhaust port 

leading out through the back side of the brake-valve 

body (this port is shown in dotted lines in the upper, 

plan, view). 

To lubricate the rotary valve, remove oil plug 29 

before main-reservoir pressure is pumped up, and pour 

a little high-grade machine oil in the hole; it will fill 

the small recess around the inside of the top case at 

the converging edges of the rotary valve and seat. 

With this brake- valve, it is also possible to keep the 

[109] 



Details of H-6 Brake- Valve 

leather key-washer, 8, soft and well lubricated, by 
removing handle lock-nut 14 and dropping some ma- 
chine oil into the hole that is drilled down through the 
center of the rotary- valve key, 7; the oil fills the 
transverse port that is drilled clear through the handle 
key, and when main-reservoir pressure is off the rotary 
valve it seeps down between the washer and bearing 
surfaces of the rotary- valve key and top case, lubricating 
a point that has usually been neglected, and that when 
dry and gummy offers a greater resistance to the turning 
movement, sometimes, than a dirty rotary valve does. 

Rotary-valve spring 30 holds the rotary valve and 
the key apart from each other, and to their seats, in the 
absence of main-reservoir pressure in the brake-valve, 
and this has the good effect of keeping dirt and scale 
from being blown on the seats when the pump is started. 
The HANDLE, 9, contains latch, ii, which fits into 
notches in the quadrant of the top case, so located as 
to indicate the different positions of the brake-valve 
handle; handle-latch spring 10 forces the latch 
against the quadrant with sufficient pressure to indicate 
each position. 

In referring to Fig. 22, it will be noticed that the 
removal of the four long bolts that go through the brake- 
valve as a whole will not permit the separation of the 
parts of the brake-valve proper. The plan view of the 
rotary-valve seat in Fig. 23 shows the location of these 

[no] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

bolt-ends and nuts, 27, which must be taken off to 
remove the brake-valve proper from the pipe bracket; 
but to take apart the body sections of the brake-valve, 
for cleaning, oiling, etc., the cap screws, 28, must be 
removed, and these are shown as the two, plain, hexa- 
gon screw-heads, exactly opposite each other in the 
flange of the top case. 

The Equalizing-Discharge Valve. — If the engine- 
man was to make all reductions of brake-pipe pressure 
directly through the rotary valve to the atmosphere, as 
he does in the emergency position, he would have to exer- 
cise an almost impossible skill to discharge the pressure 
rapidly enough with a long train, to get the pistons be- 
yond the leakage grooves in the brake cylinders, and yet 
not fast enough to cause the quick-action triple valves 
to respond with their emergency action. The equal- 
izing-discharge VALVE, that has been an integral part 
of all Westinghouse brake-valves manufactured since 
1890, automatically discharges the brake-pipe pressure 
during service applications at a rate of flow that is partly 
predetermined in the construction of the brake-valve, 
and partly governed by the volume of brake-pipe air 
that is being reduced; the number of brake-pipe pres- 
sure-pounds of the reduction is determined by the length 
of time the brake- valve handle is permitted to remain 
in the service-application position — with the older 

brake-valves, about 5 pounds per second. 

[Ill] 



Equalizing-Discharge Feature 

In Fig. 23 the lower view of the brake-valve shows 
the equalizing-discharge mechanism very plainly; there 
is but one operating piece, the equalizing piston, 15, 
with its PACKING RING, 1 6, the lower end of the piston 
stem forming the valve. Under the piston is brake- 
pipe pressure, and under the valve is atmospheric air 
in the '^exhaust fitting." Above the piston is the air 
of CHAMBER D, which in the running position of the 
brake-valve is connected to brake-pipe pressure, and 
the pressures thus being equal on the top and bottom 
sides of the piston (at this time), it remains in the posi- 
tion shown with the valve seated. 

(Although the per- square-inch pressures are equal 
on both surfaces of the piston, there is more pressure 
on the top than on the under side by just the area of 
the valve at the end of the stem that is exposed to the 
atmosphere; this slight difference in forces insures the 
proper seating of the valve.) 

There must be substance to work on, always, and 
chamber D must have volume — something near a cubic 
foot of it — as well as pressure; but, to make it of that 
size the brake-valve would take up too much room in 
the cab; so, chamber D is made as small as possible^ 
containing room merely for the necessary ^'lift'' of 
the piston — and another chamber is provided elsewhere 
(usually outside the cab, under the running board), 
called the equalizing reservoir, in size lo-inch by 14I- 
[112] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

inch (formerly made lo-inch by 12-inch), which is in 
permanent connection with chamber D by a |-inch 
pipe leading from the lower union of the gauge and 
EQUALIZING-RESERVOIR TEE, 21 ; and to the upper 
union of this tee, or fitting, 21, is connected the J-inch 
pipe to the large duplex gauge, the pressure of chamber 
D and equalizing reservoir registering by the black 
hand. 

The legend ''hlack hand, equalizing reservoir, ^^ is on 
the face of this gauge in the No. 6 equipment; in all 
previous locomotive-brake equipments the legend read 
^^ black hand, train line^^ (brake pipe), because, in the 
running position of the brake-valve the equaKzing- 
reservoir and brake-pipe pressures are always the same, 
and previous to the No. 6 equipment there was no other 
means of gauging the brake-pipe pressure. 

Very few of the pipe connections and ports in the 
brake- valve are to be seen in Fig. 23. The feed-valve 
pipe connects to the pipe bracket as shown in the pre- 
ceding piping diagrams, and its 70-pounds pressure 
(brown) comes up through port d in the rotary-valve 
seat (upper view, Fig. 23), flowing into cavity / in the 
face of the rotary valve, which, as is seen in the lower 
view, is also in register with brake-pipe port b in the 
seat; the brake-pipe connection to the pipe bracket is 
nearly under port c in the rotary-valve seat with which 
it is directly connected: note this in the upper view, 

[113] 



Equalizing-Discharge Valve 

and that a cavity through the interior of the rotary- 
valve seat (indicated by yellow, dotted semicircles) 
connects the facing ports, b and ^, and through this 
route the feed-valve pipe pressure (brown) supplies 
the brake-pipe pressure (yellow). Cavity k in the face 
of the rotary valve now connects port c with another 
and smaller port in the seat — port g — that goes straight 
down into chamber D, and it is through this equalizing 
port, g, that the brake-pipe and equalizing-reservoir 
pressures are maintained at an equality while the brake- 
valve is in running position. 

The movement of the brake- valve handle to Lap Posi- 
tion causes the rotary valve to blank all of its separable 
connections; continuing the movement to Service- Ap- 
plication Position, the blanked state of the ports re- 
ferred to is maintained; there is no feed of pressure to 
the brake pipe. Cavity h is cored through the rotary 
valve from its annular opening that faces the valve seat 
to the central port, o, that is directly over the exhaust 
port, EX, in the center of the rotary-valve seat; in 
service-application position port h in the valve face is in 
register with the preliminary-exhaust port, e, in the 
rotary- valve seat that leads down into chamber D, and 
it is through this connection that the equalizing-reser- 
voir pressure is discharged as the first step in the service 
discharge of brake-pipe pressure. 

By noting closely, it will be seen in both views of the 
[114] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

rotary-valve seat that port e contains a bush just below 
the level of the seat, with a comparatively small opening 
drilled through it that so restricts the flow of air from 
chamber D that the pressure from the lo-inch x 14^- 
inch equalizing reservoir will be reduced at the rate 
of about 5 pounds for each 2 seconds that the brake- 
valve handle remains in the ser\dce-application po- 
sition. 

As the pressure in chamber D begins to reduce, the 
brake-pipe pressure under the equaKzing piston becomes 
the greater and the piston is forced upward, unseating 
the equalizing valve through which the brake-pipe air 
discharges to the atmosphere until its pressure is as 
low as, or shghtly less than, the pressure remaining in 
chamber D, when the piston will be forced downward 
again, reseating the equaHzing-discharge valve and 
terminating the reduction. 

Although the time taken by the engineman in making 
a reduction of the equalizing-reservoir pressure always 
amounts to the same number of seconds to cause a 
given number of pounds reduction of brake-pipe pres- 
sure, regardless of the length of the train, after returning 
the brake- valve to the lap position the discharge of the 
latter pressure will continue for a time proportionate 
to the volume of brake-pipe air; understanding this, 
and by noting results, the engineman will be able to 
make a close guess as to the number of air-braked cars 

[115] 



Equalizing-Discharge Valve 

under his control by the duration of the brake-pipe 
exhaust. 

The equalizing-discharge feature plays no part in 
making an emergency application, although in the emer- 
gency position of the brake-valve the equalizing-reser- 
voir pressure is exhausted ; in that position the brake-pipe 
air is discharged directly to the atmosphere through 
large ports in the rotary valve and seat, and this opera- 
tion will be explained in reference to the rotary-valve 
charts to follow. 

The arrangement of all ports in the rotary valve and 
seat, and air passages through the body of the brake- 
valve, should be thoroughly understood before pro- 
ceeding further than Fig. 23, with the preceding piping 
diagrams for reference in remembering the pressure 
connections of the brake- valve. 

The (brown) port, d, in the rotary-valve seat is di- 
rectly connected with the feed-valve pipe, and the 
(yellow) port, c, with the brake pipe, and the flow of 
air from the former to the latter in the running position 
has been explained; the passages leading from ports 
c and d down to the pipe connections with the pipe 
bracket are shown in the dotted lines. The very small 
port, r, in the seat is drilled down to the atmospheric 
exhaust port, and when the brake -valve is in release 
position this warning port, r, is connected with port d 

by another port in the face of the rotary valve^ and 
[116] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the sound of the escaping feed-valve pressure indicates 
to the engineman that the brake-valve is not in the 
normal carrying position. Port u in the seat connects 
with the application-cylinder pipe. Port / in the seat 
connects with the distributing-valve release pipe, and 
in running position is in register with port h in the 
rotary valve, through which the application cylinder 
of the distributing valve has temporary connection with 
the atmosphere via the large, central ports, o and EX, 
in the rotary valve and seat, respectively. The small 
(red) port, p, in the rotary-valve seat, quite close to 
the large, central port, EX, leads downward and out 
to the connection with the pipe to the diaphragm-valve 
chamber of the excess-pressure governor top; it is 
given the red color because in release, running and hold- 
ing positions it receives main-reservoir pressure through 
port s, which is drilled through the rotary valve and 
has an extended cavity in the valve face through which 
the connection in the several positions is maintained. 

Of the ports in the rotary valve not yet alluded to, a 
is cut clear through the valve, and in release position 
is located directly over port h in the seat, permitting 
main-reservoir air from over the rotary valve to flow 
into the large passages to the brake pipe by exactly 
the same route, from port h onward, as was taken by the 
feed-valve pressure in running position. Port x is a 
large opening in the face of the rotary valve, with a wide, 

[117] 



Ports in the Rotary Valve 

shallow cavity cored out of the interior of the valve 
— fan-shaped, as indicated by the dotted lines — that 
reaches inward to the central exhaust port, o; when the 
brake-valve is in emergency-application position the 
facing port, x, is in register with the direct brake-pipe 
port, c, in the seat, this connection providing the heavy 
discharge of brake-pipe pressure to the atmosphere that 
insures quick action of the brakes. Port / goes through 
the rotary valve, and in release position registers with 
port g in the seat so that main-reservoir air will be 
temporarily supplied to chamber D and provide a 
holding-down pressure above the equalizing piston as 
great as the pressure flowing to the brake pipe beneath it. 
As stated, port ^ is a cavity in the face of the rotary 
valve, but it has a thin, fan-shaped extension cored in 
the interior of the valve, shown by dot-and-dash lines, 
that connects with the small port, n, and the latter is 
widened and lengthened to form a larger cavity in the 
face of the rotary valve; when the brake-valve is in 
emergency position the facing cavity of port n connects 
with port u in the seat, the end of cavity k has connected 
with the narrow extension of the feed-valve port, d, in 
the seat, and port j is lying over port d; through this 
combination of ports main-reservoir pressure, entering 
port j at the top of the rotary valve, finds a connected 
passage to the application cylinder of the distributing 
valve as the maintaining pressure heretofore alluded to. 

[ii8j 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

These last- mentioned ports have been somewhat 
changed in configuration in the rotary valves of more 
recent manufacture, but simply as an improvement 
in detail, and the maintaining-pressure supply remains 
unchanged. In the following representations of the 
rotary valve in its several positions the newer arrange- 
ment of those ports wdll be used, as the later design is 
easier to understand. 

The Rotary Valve. — ^The six plates that follow 
are plan views of the rotary- valve seat of the H-6 brake- 
valve, seen through a transparent rotary valve in its 
six operating positions. The gray tint represents the 
ROTARY VALVE, and the ports that are cut vertically 
through it from top to face show the rotary-valve 
SEAT as plain white. All ports and passages in the 
ROTARY VALVE are indicated in red outline; those that 
are cut clear through are in continuous red lines; red, 
dotted lines show ports and cavities in the face of the 
rotary valve; and red dot-and-dash lines indicate ports 
and cavities in the interior of the rotary valve. Ports 
and cavities in the rotary-valve seat are in black 
outline, the dot-and-dash lines indicating cavities below 
the surface of the seat. 

Reference numbers and letters are avoided as far 
as possible in these transparencies; the names of the 
several ports in the rotary-valve seat are printed plainly 
thereon, but no words, figures nor letters appear in 

[119] 



Rotary Valve. Release Position 

connection with the ports in the rotary valve, to pre- 
vent confusion, and further the appearance of its 
transparency; it is to be presumed that the student 
has already become familiar with the appearance and 
positions of these ports, and their names or reference 
letters; however, in the following explanations of the 
several positions of the rotary valve, when its ports 
may be alluded to by reference letters that have not been 
memorized, the student is referred back to Fig. 23. 
The rotary-valve handle is of the same gray color that 
represents the rotary valve, with red outline, and its 
operative positions are indicated by the six radial lines 
with the words release, running, holding, lap, service, 
and emergency. 

In Fig. 25, as the handle shows, the rotary valve is 
in Release Position. The two large ports in the rotary- 
valve seat worded ^'to brake pipe'' are connected by 
a large cavity beneath the surface, indicated by the 
broken, black lines in half circles, with the brake-pipe 
connection directly beneath the right-hand port; the 
large port that opens vertically through the rotary valve 
is now in exact register with the left-hand brake-pipe 
port in the seat, and as main-reservoir pressure is al- 
ways present on the top of the rotary valve, its route 
in flowing directly to the brake pipe is plainly traced. 
The equalizing reservoir is also receiving main-reser- 
voir pressure, as port ; that goes through the rotary 
[120] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

valve is directly over the port to chamber D in the 
seat; port j is extended as a short cavity in the face of 
the rotary valve, in order that main-reservoir pressure 




Copyriglit, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 25. — H-6 Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent rotary valve, 
and plan yiew of rotary-valve seat. Release position. 



will continue to feed to chamber D when the brake- 
valve handle is moved toward running position, as 

[121] 



Rotary Valve. Release Position 

long as the same pressure is flowing to the brake pipe 
— these are the equalizing ports. Port 5 is the third 
and smallest of the three that are cut through the 
rotary valve vertically; it lies to the left of and very 
close to the large, central exhaust cavity, with a connect- 
ing groove in the face of the rotary valve, the farther 
end of which in this position overlies the port in the 
seat that leads to the pipe connection with the excess- 
pressure head of the pump governor, and supplies the 
main-reservoir pressure that controls the action of the 
pump while the brake-valve handle is in release position. 
The very large cavity, /, in the face of the rotary valve 
now covers the feed-valve port in the rotary-valve seat, 
and overlaps a greater area of the seat that includes 
the warning port through which the feed-valve air 
discharges into the atmospheric outlet of the large, 
emergency exhaust port, giving w^arning of the possi- 
bility of brake-pipe overcharge. 

Except for this connection with the warning port, 
in release position of the brake- valve the feed -valve 
pipe is blanked against any delivery of its air; and in 
case the feed valve leaked through — never so slightly 
— the feed-valve pipe would accumulate a pressure in 
excess of 70 pounds — possibly main-reservoir pressure 
— which would prevent the excess-pressure top of the 
governor from closing-off steam from the pump; 

this would be particularly undesirable in descending 
[122] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

heavy grades, when it is sometimes desired to charge 
the train Kne to 90 pounds by leaving the brake-valve 
in release position. Any leak through the feed valve 
that would not be manifest in running position, however, 
will be disposed of by the blow-off through the warning 
port. 

In Fig. 26 the brake valve has been moved to Run- 
ning Position, the large supply-port, a, and the equal- 
izing port, ;', in the rotary valve are now blanked on the 
rotary-valve seat, cutting off the direct flow of main- 
reservoir pressure to brake pipe and chamber D. The 
large, adjoining ports in the seat — ''to feed valve,^^ and 
''to brake pipe,^^ have been brought into conjunction 
by the very large cavity, /, in the face of the rotary 
valve, through which the brake pipe is now being 
supplied with air from the feed valve that limits it to 
70-pounds pressure. The state of equalization of the 
brake-pipe and chamber-D pressures is still main- 
tained: in this position, through cavity k in the face of 
the rotary valve, which connects the right-hand brake- 
pipe port in the seat with port ^, also in the seat, that 
is worded — "to chamber DT In this, the latest model 
of the H-6 rotary-valve, port k is in permanent connec- 
tion with a twin, but somewhat smaller, port, n^ by a 
narrow groove in the face of the rotary valve, providing 
the same service in a much simpler and easier understood 
manner than the former arrangement; port n^ however. 



Rotary Valve. Running Position 

is only brought into play in the position of emergency 
application. The long, tunnel-like cavity through the 
rotary valve from port h in the face to the large, central 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 26. — H-6 Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent rotary valve, 
and plan view of rotary-valve seat. Running position. 

exhaust -cavity, now connects the latter with the port 

in the seat, ''to dis,-valve exhaust''^ — that is, to the dis- 
[124] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

tributing-valve release pipe; and it is through this 
connection that the application-cyhnder pressure is 
exhausted when the brake-pipe recharge forces the 
lower, or triple-valve^ portion of the distributing valve 
into release position, and thereby effects the release of 
the locomotive brake. The port in the rotary-valve 
seat connecting with the pipe to '^ excess-pressure gov- 
ernor head^^ is still receiving main-reservoir pressure 
through port ^ in the rotary valve and its lengthened 
cavity in the valve face, and the low-pressure feature 
of the governor is still controlHng the action of the 
pump. All other ports are blanked between the face 
and seat of the rotary valve. 

The movement of the brake-valve handle from run- 
ning position to Holding Position (Fig. 27), while shift- 
ing all ports in the rotary valve a short distance, does 
not separate any of the connections that were held in the 
former position — except one: the ^'dis.-valve exhaust^^ 
port in the rotary-valve seat is cut off from the atmos- 
pheric port in the center of the brake-valve by the shift 
of the formerly connecting port, h, which is now blind 
on the rotary-valve face. Holding position, thus be- 
comes another running position, so far as the common 
functions of the brake-valve are concerned (although a 
lesser area of the feed-valve port is now opened in 
connection with the left-hand brake-pipe port in the 
seat), but it permits those functions while retaining 

[125] 



Rotary Valve. Holding Position 

the application of the locomotive brake, by the closing 
of the distributing- valve release port; to secure this 
holding effect, the brake-valve handle must be brought 




Copyright, 1 909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 27. — H-6 Brake-Valve. Top view of transparent rotary valve, 
and plan view of rotary-valve seat. Holding position. 



from release position directly to Holding Position, 
passing the running position quickly so that none of 
ri26l 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the application-cylinder pressure will be discharged. 
The small port, s, through the rotary valve is now in 
exact register wdth the port in the seat connecting with 
the '^ excess-pressure governor head^\' and we have 
found that in the three positions of the brake-valve in 
which pressure is supplied to the brake pipe, main- 
reservoir pressure flows to the excess-pressure top of 
the pump governor, with the effect of regulating that 
pressure at its minimum figure. 

The position of the rotary-valve handle in Fig. 28 
shows that the brake valve is in the Lap Position. No 
pressure is supplied to the brake pipe, as the large, 
main-reservoir supply port through the rotary valve is 
blind on the seat, and the large cavity, /, in the face of 
the rotary valve no longer connects the feed-valve and 
brake-pipe ports in the seat. Cavity k in the face 
of the rotary valve, while still lying over the port to 
chamber D, no longer connects the latter with the right- 
hand brake-pipe port in the rotary-valve seat. The 
small port, ^, through the rotary valve has finally 
parted with the port in the seat that is designated ^'to 
excess- pressure governor head,^^ thus closing off the 
supply of main-reservoir pressure to — and, in effect, 
cutting out — that portion of the governor, and per- 
mitting the pump to increase the main-reservoir pres- 
sure to the amount permitted by the high-pressure 

top of the governor. The location of port /, now, over 

[127] 



Rotary Valve. Lap Position 

the end of the channel that is an extension of the feed- 
valve port in the seat, is without results further than 
that it fills the feed-valve port, and pipe connecting, 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 28. — H-6 Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent rotary valve 
aiid plan view of rotary-valve seat. Lap position. 



with main-reservoir pressure, and this introduces a 

possibility that was not contemplated: In the No. 6 
[128] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

equipment, port p in the rotary-valve seat and the pipe 
that connects it with the excess-pressure governor top 
could have been omitted, and the other small pipe from 
main reservoir direct to the high-pressure governor 
top should then have branched to the diaphragm-valve 
chambers of both governor tops; with the brake- valve 
in service and emergency positions, the dehvery of main- 
reservoir pressure to the feed-valve port as just de- 
scribed in the lap position, continues, and in charging 
the regulating-spring chamber of the excess-pressure 
governor top with the maximum pressure that portion 
of the governor is cut out just as effectively as by the 
blanking of port p in the rotary- valve seat. 

The short movement of the brake-valve handle 
from the position of lap to Service- Application Position, 
represented in Fig. 29, does not change the relations 
of the ports in the rotary valve and seat that existed in 
the former position, except that it brings port h in the 
face of the rotary valve directly over the ^'preliminary 
exhaust^ ^ port in the seat; equaHzing-reservoir pressure 
from chamber D now flows upward through the pre- 
liminary-exhaust port into port h, and through its long, 
connecting ca\dty in the interior of the rotary valve to 
the large, central exhaust cavity, and thence to the 
atmosphere; as heretofore explained, this reduction 
of equalizing-reservoir pressure causes an equal pres- 
sure reduction of the brake-pipe air, and when the 

[129] 



Rotary Valve. Service Application 

former has been sufficiently reduced — as indicated by 
the black hand of the large duplex gauge — the brake- 
valve handle must be returned to the lap position, to 




CopyrigM, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 29. — H-6 Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent rotary valve, 
and plan view of rotary- valve seat. Service-application position. 



stop the further discharge of equalizing-reservoir pres- 
sure and Hmit the power of the appHcation. 
[130] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Service-application position is usually taken, for the 
initial reduction, by bringing the brake-valve handle 
directly there from the running position ; but after re- 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 30. — H-6 Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent rotary valve, 
and plan view of rotary- valve seat. Emergency-application 
position. 

turning the handle to lap position, any further reductions 
will start from that position, as described. 

[131] 



Rotary Valve. Emergency Application 

The sixth and last position of the brake- valve handle 
toward the right, is, as shown in Fig. 30, Emergency- 
Application Position, in which the effect is to apply 
the brakes with heaviest force and quickest action, 
and is usually taken direct from running position. 
Same as in the last two preceding positions, all supply 
of pressure to the brake pipe is closed off; the excess- 
pressure governor top is still cut out from main-reser- 
voir connection; port and passage h to the atmospheric 
exhaust cavity in the center of the rotary valve is no 
longer in connection with the preliminary-exhaust port 
in the seat, but the equalizing-reservoir pressure is 
being discharged through the small port in the face, 
and its short, interior cavity of the rotary valve that 
connects the port in the seat ^'to chamber Z?" with 
the large, central '^emergency exhaust port'''' leading 
out to the atmosphere. The principal feature in 
this position is the heavy discharge of brake-pipe 
pressure directly to the atmosphere through the 
rotary valve; the large cavity, x, in the face of the 
rotary valve now lies in even register with the right- 
hand brake-pipe port in the rotary-valve seat — the 
port closest to the brake-pipe connection; this port, 
X, is continued as an interior cavity cored within the 
rotary valve that connects with the central '^emergency 
exhaust " port, and hence the name of the latter, for 
the brake-pipe pressure takes this route through 
[132] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the rotary valve to the atmosphere at emergency 
applications. 

The maintaining pressure that is supplied to the appli- 
cation cylinder of the distributing valve, when the brake 
valve is in emergency position, has a tortuous passage 
in getting through the rotary valve; the main-reservoir 
pressure upon the rotary valve passes through it via 
port j, and gives the maximum pressure charge to the 
feed-valve port in the seat, a condition that was initiated 
in the lap position, as explained in connection therewith; 
but now the rotary valve has turned far enough that 
port k in the face of the rotary valve is overlapping the 
end of the channel branching from the feed-valve port 
in the seat and receiving main-reservoir pressure there- 
from, which flows from port k to its twin port, n, through 
the small, restricting-port that connects these two 
concentric ports in the face of the rotary valve; from 
port n the maintaining pressure flows into the port in 
the seat designated '^to application cylinder ^^^ which 
connects with the application-cylinder pipe leading to 
the distributing valve. 

The small port connecting the twin grooves, k and 
n, in the face of the rotary valve is known as the hlow- 
down timing port, as in addition to building up the apph- 
cation-cylinder pressure at emergency applications — 
raising it several pounds above the 65 pounds at which 
the pressure cham_ber and application cylinder equalize 



The Blow-Down Timing Port 

— it serves at emergency applications of the High- 
Speed brake to so restrict the bbw-down of appHca- 
tion-cyhnder pressure as to give approximately the 
same time between the maximum and minimum that 
is obtained in the use of the high-speed reducing 
valve. 



[134] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



THE S-6 INDEPENDENT BRAKE-VALVE. 

Fig. 31 is a top view of the S-6 Independent Brake 
Valve used in the No. 6 E-T locomotive-brake 
EQUIPMENT, with a diagram of the five operating posi- 
tions of the rotary- valve handle; Fig. 32 is a photo- 
graphic view of the brake-valve complete; in Fig. ^^ 
the valve is shown removed from its pipe bracket; and 
Fig. 34 represents a sectional view of the complete 
brake-valve, with another view from the top as a plan 
of the rotary-valve seat, and a transparent plan view 
of the rotary valve. 

Like the automatic brake- valve, the two body sections 
of the independent brake-valve are held together by 
cap screws, independent of the longer bolts that bind 
the brake-valve proper to the pipe-bracket section; and 
in general construction the two brake-valves are quite 
similar, including the handles, facilities for oiling, etc. 

Referring to Fig. 31, the farthest position of the handle 
to the left is Release, and it is only necessary to use this 
position when the automatic brake-valve is in some 
other than running position, and it is desired to release 
the locomotive brake; the release position should be 
used, however, whenever the locomotive brake remains 
applied undesirably and the automatic brake- valve is in 
running position, as may happen on the second engine 

[135] 



S-6 Independent Brake- Valve 

in double-heading. Release position discharges the 
application-cylinder pressure directly to the atmos- 
phere through the exhaust port in the center of the 
bottom of the independent brake- valve; the handle 
will not remain in release position unless held there, 
a coil spring within the housing of the valve body 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 31. — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve. Positions of rotary- valve 

handle. 

turning the rotary valve to running position when the 
hand is removed from the handle. 

Running Position is second, and the position in 
which the handle is standing as shown in the cut; it 
should always be left in this position, except when the 
[136] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

independent brake is applied, as a port in its rotary 
valve connects the distributing-valve release pipe 
through to the automatic brake- valve, thus admitting of 
the release of the locomotive brake in running position, 
if the automatic brake-valve is also in running position. 
Ordinarily, therefore in operating the independent loco- 
motive brake its release is secured simply by replacing 
the independent brake-valve in running position. 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig, 32 — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve, Complete, 

In the third, or Lap, Position, the distributing-valve 
release pipe routing is discontinued beyond the rotary 
of the independent brake-valve, all the ports of which 
are blanked except the receiving port for reducing-valve 
pressure; in this condition, at an automatic application 
nothing unusual would be effected; but the locomotive 
brake could not be released by returning the automatic 

[137] 



Positions of Brake- Valve Handle 

brake- valve handle to running position, until the inde- 
pendent brake-valve should be replaced in running 
position, also. 

The fourth is Slow- Application Position; a very 
small port in the rotary valve permits reducing-valve 
pressure to flow quite gradually to the application cylin- 
der of the distributing valve, permitting very fine gradu- 
ating of the power applied to the locomotive brake. 




Copyriglit, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 33. — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve. Removed from pipe bracket 

In the fifth, or Quick-Application Position, the 
supply of reducing-valve pressure to the distributing 
valve is given quickly, through a larger port in the rotary 
valve, and as it results in a sudden and heavy appHcation 
of the locomotive brake this position should be used 
with judgment; there is but little danger of the rotary 
valve being moved to this position when the slow- appli- 
cation position is intended, as, when the handle passes 
[138] 



23 III" PIPE TAP 



RVII I" PIPE TAP 



Fig. 34 



IV f" PIPE. TAP 




REDUCING DISTRIBUTING DISTRIBUTING APPLICATION ATMOSPHERIC 

VALVE VALVE VALVE CYLINDER 

PRESSURE EXHAUST EXHAUST PRESSURE 

PIPE TO PIPE TO AUTOMATIC 

DISTRIBUTING VALVE BRAKE VALVE 

Fig. 34.— S 6 Independent Brake- Valve. Sectional elevation, plan 
view ot rotary-valve seat, and transparent plan view of rotary 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W„ Henley Publishing Co. 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the latter position the coil spring within the valve body 
is again encountered; some force is necessary to bring 
the handle to the quick application position, and 
when the hand is removed the brake-valve will rotate 
back to the slow-application position. 

Like the automatic brake-valve, the S-6 Independent 
Brake- Valve is removable for repair, etc., without any 
pipe joints having to be disconnected. Fig. 32 shows 
the valve complete; and in Fig. 33 it is shown separated 
into the brake-valve proper, and the lower section, or 
pipe bracket, which carries the supporting stud-bolt. 

Fig. 34 shows a vertical section through the inde- 
pendent BRAKE-VALVE, and a horizontal section 
through the valve body on the plane of the rotary- valve 
seat, with rotary valve removed and shown aside as a 
transparent, top or plan view. In the sectional views 
the pipe connections and positions of the iiandle are 
indicated. The names of the parts are: 

2, Pipe Bracket; 3, Rotary- Valve Seat; 4, 
Valve Body; 5, Return-Spring Casing; 6, Return 
Spring; 7, Cover; 8, Casing Screw; 9, Rotary 
Valve; 10, Rotary- Valve Key; ii, Rotary- Valve 
Spring; 12, Key Washer; 13, Upper Clutch; 14, 
Handle Nut; 15, Handle; 16, Latch Sprlng; 
17, Latch Screw; 18, Latch; 19, Cover Screw; 
20, Oil Plug; 21, Bolt and Nut; 22, Bracket Stud; 
23, Bracket- Stud Nut; 24, Upper Gasket; 25, 

[139] 



Independent Brake- Valve. Details 

Lower Gasket; 26, Lower Clutch; 27, Return- 
Spring Stop; 28, Cap Screw. 

Unlike the automatic brake-valve, the air-pressure 
supply does not pass up through a port in the different 
sections of the Independent Brake-Valve body and 
come upon the rotary valve direct; this reducing-valve 
pressure (45 pounds), from its pipe connection with the 
bracket section, flows up through a passage to port b 
and its channelled extension in the rotary-valve seat 
that connects with port e in the rotary valve in all 
positions; port e includes a groove in the face of 
the rotary valve and a port extending vertically through 
it, by means of which the reducing-valve pressure 
flows to the top of the rotary valve at all times, thus 
holding it to its seat. Port a leads to that section of the 
distributing-valve release pipe that goes to the distribu- 
ting valve (connection IV — distributing- valve charts), 
and port c leads to the other section of this pipe that 
goes to the automatic brake-valve (connection III — 
Fig. 23). Port d leads to the application-cylinder pipe 
to the distributing valve (connection II — dist.-valve 
charts). Port h in the center of the rotary-valve seat 
is the exhaust port, leading directly down to the atmos- 
phere beneath the brake-valve. The '^ warning port,''^ 
k, also leads to the atmosphere. The long, radial 
groove, g, in the face of the rotary valve is always in 

communication with the atmosphere through its per- 

[140] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

manent connection with the central exhaust port, h. 
Port m in the face of the rotary valve is connected with 
the channel, e, by a small, interior port. F is a chan- 
nelled cavity in the face of the valve; and / is a port 
through the rotary valve from top to face, where it is 
extended as a short groove. 

In Figs. 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39, the functions of the 
Independent Brake- Valve in its five operative 
positions are exemplified by views of the rotary 
valve as transparencies, and, through it, the rotary- 
valve seat. In connection with this study, reference 
should be made to the piping diagram, and distributing- 
valve chart, that represent the effects of operation of 
the brake- valve in each position as taken up. 

The red lines indicate ports and cavities in the rotary 
VALVE, the unbroken Hues representing ports that pass 
clear through the valve from top to face; dotted fines 
indicate cavities that are channelled out in the face 
of the valve; and dot-and-dash lines indicate passages 
in the interior of the rotary valve that are used to con- 
nect facing ports. The ports and cavities in the rotary- 
valve SEAT are shown in black fines. 

Referring to Fig. 35, Release Position of the Inde- 
pendent Brake- Valve: the groove in the rotary- valve 
seat that is a part of the ^' reducing-valve pressure^ ^ port 
is always in connection with the large port, e, through 
the rotary valve, either directly or through the groove 

[141] 



Rotary Valve. Release Position 

in the face of the valve, and its extended cavity as in 
Fig. 35, by means of which the reducing- valve pressure 
flows on top of the rotary valve, serving at present only 
to hold it to its seat, but ready for use when an independ- 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley rnblishing Co. 

Fig. 35. — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent 
rotary valve, and plan view of rotary-valve seat. Release posi- 
tion. 



ent application is made. The long, radial groove, g, in 
the face of the rotary valve is now connecting the 
'^application-cylinder^^ port in the seat with the atmos- 
pheric exhaust-port h in the center of the valve seat, 
[142] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

thus discharging the pressure from the apphcation 
cyHnder of the distributing valve at the independent 
brake-valve, and releasing the locomotive brake under 
any circumstances of its application, regardless of the 
position of the automatic brake-valve handle. The 
small ^^ warning port^^ through the rotary valve is now 
in register with the similarly designated port in the 
seat, providing a slight discharge of reducing-valve 
pressure to the atmosphere, the noise from which 
serves to warn the engineer that the independent 
brake-valve is in a position in which the locomotive 
brake would immediately release after any manner 
of automatic application ; the warning feature acting as 
a safeguard in case the return spring should become 
broken. 

It will be noticed that the route of the distributing- 
valve release pipe from distributing valve to automatic 
brake- valve is broken in this position, by the separation 
of the two ports in the seat indicated as the independent 
brake- valve terminals of the piping — the sections lead- 
ing to distributing valve, and automatic brake-valve, 
respectively. 

In Fig. 36 the return spring has rotated the Inde- 
pendent Brake- Valve to Running Position; in this, 
the second operative position, ports e in the rotary 
valve, and b in the seat, are still in connection to provide 
the supply of reducing-valve pressure above the rotary 

[ 143 ] 



Rotary Valve. Running Position 

valve; but the ^'application-cylinder^^ port and '' warn- 
ing porf^ in the seat are now blanked under the face 
of the rotary valve. 

No positive work is performed by the independent 




(oja. 

Copyright, 1909, by The Norman \V. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 36. — S-6 Independent Brake-Valve. Top view of transparent 
rotary valve, and plan view of rotary-valve seat. Running 
position. 

brake- valve in this position; in ordinary switching 
service it is used to release the locomotive brake, but 
this is not positive, and depends upon the automatic 

brake-valve also being in running position. It is the 

[144] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

regular carrying position of the handle, featured as the 
only position in which the distributing-valve release pipe 
has an open route through the independent brake-valve 
to the automatic brake-valve, the channel, /, in the face 
of the rotary valve of the former now connecting the 
two ports in the seat leading, as indicated, to the two 
sections of the pipe running to the distributing valve, 
and automatic brake-valve, respectively. As it is only 
through this port connection that locomotive-brake 
release can occur when the automatic brake-valve is 
placed in running position^ it is very important that the 
independent brake-valve shall be carried in running 
position, always, when not being used. 

It is apparent that the independent brake-valve 
can release the locomotive brake in one position under 
any circumstances, and in two positions when the auto- 
matic brake- valve is in running position; in the latter 
case, after an independent application the return of 
the independent brake-valve to running position per- 
mits the application-cylinder pressure — which at that 
time is in the distributing-valve release pipe as far as 
the independent brake-valve — to pass through the 
continuation of that pipe to the automatic brake-valve, 
and through its rotary valve to the atmosphere; brake- 
cylinder pressure being equally discharged at the ex- 
haust port of the distributing valve. 

The third position of the Independent Brake- 

[145] 



Rotary Valve. Lap Position 

Valve is Lap, as represented in Fig. 37. This is a 
negative position, in which all ports are closed — except, 
of course, the ports for the reception and passage of 
reducing-valve pressure to the top of the rotary valve. 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 37. — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent 
rotary valve, and plan view of rotary-valve seat. Lap position. 

The distributing-valve release pipe is again cut off and 

blanked at the rotary valve, by the switching of the 

groove, /, in the face of the rotary away from the port 

^^0 automatic brake-valve^^ in the seat. 
[146] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

The object of lap position is to hold the locomotive 
braking conditions as they are after making a graduated 
independent application, and should be used at no 
other time than after graduating on, or graduating off, 




Copyright, 1909, by The Normai. W. Hanlay Publishing Co. 

Fig. 38. — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent 
rotary valve, and plan view of rotary- valve seat. Slow-applica- 
tion position. 

the locomotive brake when the automatic brake-valve 
is in running position. 

Slow Application, the fourth position, is represented 
in Fig. 38. Port e through the rotary valve is still per- 

[147] 



Rotary Valve. Application Positions 

mitting reducing-valve pressure to flow to the top of 
the valve. The small port, w, in the face of the rotary 
valve is now in register with the port in the seat ''to 
application cylinder ^\' through an interior cavity in 




J/Q. 

(0 (L 

Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 39. — S-6 Independent Brake- Valve. Top view of transparent 
rotary valve, and plan view of rotary- valve seat. Quick-appli- 
cation position. 

the rotary valve port m is connected with the groove of 
port Cj permitting reducing-valve pressure to flow to the 
application cylinder of the distributing valve, in which 

it acts as previously described to apply the locomotive 

[148] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

brake. The slowness of an independent application 
in this position is due to the very small size of port m 
through which the application-cylinder pressure is fed. 
All other ports in the rotary valve and seat remain as 
in the lap position. 

The fifth and final position of the S-6 Independent 
Brake- Valve, as shown in Fig. 39, is that of Quick 
Application. The conditions are exactly the same as 
in the previous position, except that the rotary valve 
has turned far enough to bring the large groove of port e 
in its face into connection with the ^^application-cylin- 
der '^ port in the seat, providing an enlarged passage 
for the flow of reducing-valve pressure to the application 
cyhnder of the distributing valve, and effecting a quick 
application of the locomotive brake. 



[149] 



The B-6 Feed Valve 



THE B-6 FEED VALVE. 

The B-6 Feed Valve furnished with the No. 6 
Equipment, photographic views of which are shown 
in Figs. 40 and 41, is the common slide-valve feed valve, 
the duty of which is to regulate pressure supply to the 
brake pipe, but improved by the hand-wheel regulating 
device and an enlarged regulating valve. In the ordi- 
nary automatic equipment, the feed valve was attached 
directly to, and was considered a part of, the automatic 
brake- valve; in all E-T equipment, it is located in the 
line of one of the two pipes that supply main-reservoir 
air to the brake-valve. The pipe that is directly sup- 
plied by the feed valve leads to the automatic brake- 
valve, and is called the feed-valve pipe, and in Running 
and Holding positions of the brake- valve it is in open 
port connection with the brake pipe. 

All forms of Feed Valve are interchangeable. As 
originally designed for attachment to the G-6 automatic 
brake- valve, the feed valve hangs downward in its proper 
position; in its appKcation to the previous styles of the 
E-T brake it was turned upside-down — sticking upward; 
while in the No. 6 equipment we find it again turned 
down in its rightful position; and the reasons follow. 

There are two air ports side by side in the connecting 
face of the feed valve, and as we stand in front of the 
[150] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

G-6 brake valve the left one is the entering port for 
main-reservoir pressure, and the right one is the port 
of exit, or brake-pipe connection. As used in the E-T 
equipment, the feed valve is attached directly to a '^ pipe 
bracket '' (note appearance in Figs. 40 and 41), and as 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publislung Co. 

Fig. 40. — The B-6 Feed Valve. Valve and pipe bracket complete. 

usually placed, the main-reservoir air enters the pipe 
bracket from the right. The pipe brackets of the No. 5 
equipment were simply made — right-hand pipe connec- 
tion leading to right-hand face port, and left-hand pipe 
connection to left-hand face port; this would have 

[151] 



Feed- Valve Pipe Brackets 

reversed the order of passing the air through the feed 
valve, but by turning the valve upside-down, the port 
connections were made to coincide, and they were so 
inverted in the No. 5 and all preceding E-T equipments. 
The crossed passage, ^^F" pipe bracket is used in 
the No. 6 E-T equipment, and, as the name indicates, 
the passages in this pipe bracket are crossed, so that 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. | 

Fig. 41.— The B-6 Feed Valve. Valve ' 
removed from pipe bracket. 



main-reservoir air entering at the right-hand pipe 
connection will pass to the left-hand port from which 
it enters the feed valve, leaving through the right- 
hand port to the left-hand pipe connection, which 
is to the feed-valve pipe leading to the automatic 
[152] 



Fig. 42 




MA.IN RESERVOIR 
PRESSURE 



FEED-VALVE 
PRESSURE 



ATMOSPHERIC 



Fig. 42. — ^Diagram of B-6 Feed Valve. Open position. 
MR — Main-reservoir pipe. FVP— Feed-valve pipe. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

brake-valve. In order that the feed valve may be cor- 
rectly placed, in the No. 6 equipment, the new, crossed- 
passage pipe bracket has a lug cast upon it that inter- 
feres with the attachment of the feed valve unless it is 
placed right-side up. 

The improvements in the B-6 Feed Valve permit 
charging to the regulated pressure somewhat quicker, 
and maintaining the pressure more accurately than the 
old style did, under the variable conditions of short and 
long trains, and of good and poor maintenance. Also, 
the regulation can be quickly and accurately changed 
from 70 pounds to no pounds brake-pipe pressure,^ or 
the reverse, by turning the hand wheel until the pin 
strikes the opposite stop; or any other pressures as the 
minimum and maximum can be used, by adjusting the 
stops to secure the desired amount. 

Figs. 42 and 43 are diagrammatic views of the feed 
valve and pipe bracket, having the ports and opera- 
ting parts in one plane to facilitate description; and to 
simplify description the direct passage pipe-bracket is 
represented. The names of the parts shown in the 
diagrams are as follows: 2, Valve Body; 3, Pipe 
Bracket; 5, Cap Nut; 6, Piston Spring; 7, Piston- 
Spring Tip; 8, Supply- Valve Piston; 9, Supply 
Valve; 10, Supply- Valve Spring; ii, Regulating- 
Valve Cap; 12, Regulating Valve; 13, Regula- 
ting-Valve Spring; 14, Diaphragm; 15, Diaphragm 

[153] 



Detail Parts of Feed Valve 

Ring; i6, Diaphragm Spindle; 17, Regulating 
Spring; 18, Spring Box; 19, Upper Stop; 20, Lower 
Stop; 21, Stop Screw; 22, Adjusting Handle. 

The feed valve consists of two sets of operating parts, 
the supply (upper), and regulating (lower). The supply 
parts, which control the flow of air through the valve, 
consist of the supply valve 9 and its spring 10, the sup- 
ply-valve piston 8 and its spring 6. The regulating 
parts consist of the regulating valve 12, regulating- valve 
spring 13, diaphragm 14, diaphragm spindle 16, regu- 
lating spring 17, and regulating handle 22. 

Referring to Fig. 42 in which the feed valve is repre- 
sented in the open position, main-reservoir air enters 
through port a,a to the supply-valve chamber B, 
forces supply-valve piston 8 to the left, compresses 
piston spring 6, and causes the port in supply valve 9 
to register with port c in the seat; this permits air to 
pass through ports c and d to the feed-valve pipe at 
FVP, the pressure of which flows through port e to 
diaphragm chamber L. 

It will be observed that no packing is used in piston 8, 
as a certain amount of air leakage past it is desirable, 
and necessary to the proper operation of the valve; 
air feeding by the piston to the left can not accumulate 
in chamber G above feed-valve pipe pressure at this 
time, for regulating valve 12 is open and connects cham- 
ber G to the feed-valve pipe, through passage h, port K, 
[154] 



> »>)»») >■ 




Fig. 43 



MAIN RESERVOIR FEED-VALVE ATMOSPHERIC 

PRESSURE PRESSURE 



Fig. 43. — Diagram of B-6 Feed Valve. Closed position. 
Connections: See Fig. 42. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

chamber L, and passage e^ d, d. Regulating valve 12 
is held open by the force of regulating spring 17 against 
the center of the diaphragm 14, upon which the regu- 
lating valve bottoms. 

When the air in the feed-valve pipe reaches the pres- 
sure at which the feed valve is adjusted — say 70 pounds 
— its powxr upon the diaphragm in chamber L over- 
comes the pressure of regulating spring 17, which 
is then further compressed (refer now to Fig. 43, 
CLOSED position), and this permits the small spring 
13 to drive the regulating valve 12 to the right until it 
seats, closing port K and thus cutting off comraunica- 
tion between chamber G and the feed-valve pipe; the 
feed of main-reservoir air from chamber B by piston 8 
continues, and the pressure in chamber G quickly be- 
comes equal to that of chamber B ; the air pressures on 
both sides of piston 8 now balancing each other, piston 
spring 6 forces the piston and supply valve 9 to the 
right, closes port c and stops the flow of air to the feed- 
valve pipe. 

When the feed-valve-pipe pressure begins to lessen, 
the regulating spring, 17, again the stronger, unseats 
valve 12, and the pressure of chamber G equalizes 
with that of the feed- valve pipe; spring 6 is of very 
light tension, and the drop of pressure in chamber G 
results in piston 8 again being forced to the left by main- 
reservoir pressure, supply valve 9 is opened and the 

[155] 



Feed- Valve Operation 

flow of pressure to the feed-valve pipe is resumed; and 
so on. 

In this type of feed valve the duplex adjusting ar- 
rangement eliminates the necessity of the two feed 
valves formerly provided for high- and low-pressure 
service. The spring box i8 has two rings encircling it, 
which are split through the lugs marked 19 and 20 in 
the diagram, and which may be secured in any position 
by the screw 21. The pin forming part of adjusting 
handle 22 limits the movement of the handle to the 
distance between stops 19 and 20. When adjusting 
the valve, stop 19 is located so that the compression of 
regulating spring 17 will give the desired high brake- 
pipe pressure, and stop 20 so that the spring compres- 
sion is enough less to give the low brake-pipe pressure. 
After which, by simply turning handle 22 until its pin 
strikes either one of these stops, the regulation of the 
feed valve is changed from one brake-pipe pressure to 
the other. 

To change to other minimum and maximum pressure- 
adjustment positions of the stops, slacken screws 21, 
which allows stops 19 and 20 to turn around spring box 
18. Then turn the adjusting wheel handle 22 (com- 
pressing the regulating spring to increase the pressure; 
slackening the spring tension to decrease it); adjust 
for the lower pressure first, and turn until the valve 
closes at the minimum brake-pipe pressure desired, 
[156] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

when stop 20 should be moved to contact with the handle 
pin, and securely fastened in that position by tightening 
its set-screw. Then turn wheel handle 22 clockwise 
until the higher adjustment is obtained, bring stop 19 
in contact with the handle pin, and tighten set-screw 
21. The stops are generally placed to give no pounds 
high, and 70 pounds low, brake-pipe pressures, the 
former being the pressure commonly accepted for High- 
Speed Braking, and the latter is the long-estabHshed 
pressure for all other conditions of air-brake service. 

When replacing the feed-valve on its bracket after 
removal, the gasket, shown in Fig. 41, must always be 
in place between the valve and bracket, to insure a 
tight joint. 

The Feed-Valve Pipe : As has been stated, besides 
carrying the feed-valve pressure to the automatic brake- 
valve, this pipe has but one other connection — the branch 
pipe leading to the regulating-spring chamber of the 
excess-pressure top of the pump governor. When the 
automatic brake-valve is in release position the brake 
pipe does not receive feed-valve pressure, and to guard 
against the possibility of a slight leak through the feed 
valve overcharging the feed-valve pipe at this time — 
when it is important that the supply to the governor 
top shall be no greater than the regulation brake-pipe 
pressure — the warning port of the brake valve is sup- 
plied from feed- valve pressure; this gives relief, and 

[157] 



The Feed- Valve Pipe 

insures that the excess-pressure governor head will regu- 
late the brake-pipe pressure in release position (as the 
brake-pipe and main-reservoir pressures are then in 
direct connection through the rotary valve), even 
though the feed valve is leaking, if not enough to be 
otherwise detrimental. 



[158] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

THE C-6 REDUCING VALVE. 

Valve and Pipe Bracket Complete. 

The C-6 Reducing Valve illustrated in Fig. 44 
is used to regulate the pressure that is suppHed to the 

INDEPENDENT BRAKE-VALVE and the AIR-SIGNAL SYSTEM ; 




Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 44. — The C-6 Reducing Valve. Valve and pipe bracket com- 
plete. 

it is practically the same as the feed valve just described, 
but without the duplex adjusting feature, being designed 
to reduce main-reservoir pressure to a single fixed 
pressure, which in this equipment is, as already stated, 

[159] 



The C-6 Reducing Valve 

45 pounds. It is, in fact, the well-known feed valve 
that has been used for many years in connection with 
the G-6 brake-valve, the only distinction being in the 
name; but, as here used, it is attached to a pipe bracket 
in the same manner as the B-6 valve. To adjust this 
valve, remove the cap nut on the end of the spring box; 
this will expose the adjusting nut by which the adjust- 
ment is effected. 

The pipe bracket upon which the C-6 Reducing Valve 
is mounted is the same as is used with the B-6 feed 
valve — the crossed-passage bracket, in the No. 6 equip- 
ment, and the valve turned down in its proper position. 



[i6o] 



Fig. 45 




MR 



MAIN RESERVOIR 
PRESSURE 



FEED- VALVE 
PRESSURE 



ATMOSPHERE 



LIVE STEAM 

FROM BOILER 

PRESSURE 



WASTE STEAM AT 

ATMOSPHERIC 

PRESSURE 



Fig. 45. — The SF-4 Pump Governor. The modified duplex pump- 
governor used in the No. 6 E T locomotive-brake equipment. 
MR — ^main-reservoir pipe, direct; ABV — ^pipe to automatic brake- 
valve; FVP — branch of feed valve pipe; B — steam pipe to 
boiler; P — connection with air pump; W — waste-pipe connection. 



Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



THE ^'S-F4" PUMP GOVERNOR. 

The duty of any pump governor is to control the steam 
pressure that operates the air pump so that the pressure 
in the main reservoir will not exceed a given figure'. 
With the single -top governor that figure is invariable; 
but with the duplex, or double top, S-F Pump Governor, 
used in the No. 6 E-T equipment and illustrated sec- 
tionally in Fig. 45, the action of the pump is so restricted 
as to permit a pressure being carried in the main reser- 
voir only 20 pounds or so in excess of that in the brake 
pipe while the automatic brake-valve is in running or 
holding positions; but when the brake-valve is moved 
to application, or lap, positions this governor releases 
the pump to increase the main-reservoir pressure to 
the figure fixed as the maximum. To accomplish this 
differential regulation only one steam valve and piston 
are required, and these comprise the working parts 
of the bottom section — being exactly similar to the 
corresponding section of the single- top governor; but 
there are two tops, or regulating sections, of the S-F 



Note. — The figure 4 has no reference to the type of valve in connection 
with which it is used, and is only present to indicate the size, or, rather, 
the size of the steam pipe in which the governor is placed. The sizes 
of pipe connections are referred to in fractional fourths of an inch, this 
being understood, and only the numerator is given. A f-inch pump 
governor — that is, a governor with connections for f-inch steam pipe — 
if of the S-F type, would be referred to as "S-F 3." Hence, the "S-F4" 
means a one-inch governor (4-fourths). 

[i6i] 



The S-F Pump Governor 

Pump Governor, and, referring to Fig. 45, the left- 
hand one — called the ^'excess-pressure governor top^^ — 
is adjusted to the lower pressure, and the right-hand 
one — the '^ high-pressure top^^ — is set at the pressure 
desired as the maximum. 

The diaphragm valves in the two tops are exactly 
alike, are of the pin form, are not numbered specifically, 
but will be recognized as the long, central pins whose 
lower ends form the valves that now close ports b. 
28 points to the diaphragm, alike in each top; 20 indi- 
cates the center piece, in particular, but generally re- 
fers to the diaphragm-valve complete — diaphragm, and 
valve, and centerpiece, etc. The diaphragms, 28, con- 
sist of thin discs of brass, the edges of which are tightly 
held by the rings 21, upon which the regulating-spring 
boxes seat, and are flexible toward their centers where 
the valve pins are located, permitting the force of the 
regulating springs to hold the valves down to their 
seats. When main-reservoir pressure in chamber a 
exerts a greater force against the under side of the 
diaphragm than the spring 19 does on top of it, the 
center of the diaphragm will be raised slightly, pulling 
the pin valve from its seat and permitting air pressure 
from cham^ber a to flow through ports 6, &, to chamber b 
of the lower portion where it forces the piston down- 
ward, closing valve 5 which shuts off steam from the 

pump. At this time air will be heard blowing from 
[162] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

vent port c. When the main-reservoir pressure in 
chamber a becomes less than the figure at which this 
governor top is adjusted, the superior force of regulating 
spring 19 bears the diaphragm center downward, reseat- 
ing the pin valve, and as air supply is now cut off from 
chamber 6, the pressure remaining therein quickly 
escapes 4;hrough vent port c; helped by the compressed 
spring under the piston, steam from the boiler raises 
and unseats valve 5, the steam supply to the pump is 
resumed and main-reservoir pressure is again increased. 
Boiler pressure is always under steam valve 5, and 
offers a high resistance to its closure; but the piston 
that actuates it has such a wide area exposed to air 
pressure that about 45 pounds per square inch on top 
of the piston will force the valve down against any 
ordinary steam pressure; therefore, it becomes the 
duty of the regulating portion to keep the main-reservoir 
pressure from flowing to chamber h until it has reached 
the desired amount. A stuffing-box and packing 
around the stem that connects the air piston to the 
steam valve, 5, would be impractical; the stem is turned 
to a neat fit through the wall of the steam chamber, but 
a certain amount of steam leaks around and past it, 
which, if permitted to collect, would result in boiler 
pressure under the piston that the air pressure above 
it could not overcome, and the governor would fail to 
regulate the action of the pump; waste port w allows 

[163] 



Details of Pump Governor 

this steam leakage to escape, however, and it should 
be seen that the small copper pipe connecting thereto 
is always open, and free from dents or sharp bends. 

Reference to any of the colored Piping Diagrams 
will be a great help in understanding the operation of 
this governor, and in connection therewith note that 
MR is the connection of the pipe from the main reser- 
voir; the pipe from ABV leads to the automatic brake- 
valve; and FVP is the connection with the branch of 
the feed-valve pipe. 

Commonly the regulating spring of the high-pressure 
governor top is set at no pounds; its operation in 
pump regulation has just been explained, but although 
main-reservoir pressure is always present in chamber a 
— through direct communication — it is never high 
enough to unseat the diaphragm valve while the auto- 
matic brake-valve is in release, running, or holding 
positions, for then the left-hand governor top is receiv- 
ing main-reservoir pressure in its diaphragm chamber, 
also, and it is adjusted to stop the pump when that 
pressure is about 90 pounds. 

In the style of duplex governor used in the ordinary 
automatic brake equipment, the left-hand governor 
top is exactly like the right-hand one, with the regu- 
lating spring adjusted at 90 pounds. But in the E-T 
equipment, the regulating pressure exerted upon the 
left-hand diaphragm valve is a combination of forces 
[164] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

— air, at brake-pipe pressure, and a spring, having a 
resistance equal to the amount of excess pressure that 
is to be regularly carried; to secure the air pressure 
a branch of feed-valve pipe (see Piping Diagrams) 
connects with the regulating -spring box at FVP (Fig. 
45); the spring 27, under the adjustment of nut 26, 
and much lighter than regulating spring 19 in the high- 
pressure top, is used, and commonly set at 20 pounds 
resistance. This explains why it is called the ''excess- 
pressure governor top." Chamber d under the dia- 
phragm has a pipe connection from ABV to th^ auto- 
matic brake-valve, and, as previously explained in 
connection with the study of the brake-valve, when in 
release, running, and holding positions a port in the 
rotary valve suppUes main-reservoir pressure through 
this pipe to the governor (chamber d)] when the latter 
pressure becomes 90 pounds, diaphragm valve 28 is 
unseated and the main-reservoir pressure from chamber 
d flows to the lower air-chamber 6, forces the piston 
down and closes steam valve 5 as already explained. 

When the automatic brake-valve is moved to lap, 
service, or emergency positions, the rotary valve cuts 
off the flow of pressure to chamber d of the excess-pres- 
sure governor top; the supply having ceased, vent port 
c exhausts the pressure from the piston chamber, pas- 
sages and ports, J, &, h; the piston is relieved, steam 
valve 5 reopens and the pump starts up. Diaphragm 

[165] 



Duplex Operation of Pump Governor 

valve 28 seats at almost the instant the brake-valve is 
lapped. 

The benefits obtained from the use of the duplex 
pump-governor are that a moderate main-reservoir 
pressure can be regularly carried, reducing the wear of 
the pump and the rotary valve of the automatic brake- 
valve, and making the latter easier to operate, etc.; 
but during an application, the main-reservoir pressure 
is automatically increased to whatever figure may be 
considered necessary to effect the prompt release of 
all brakes in a train of any length, the pump only being 
required to raise this extra-excess pressure when it is 
relieved of the duty of brake-pipe supply. 

The benefit from the use of brake-pipe pressure as a 
part of the regulating force in the governor top that 
normally controls the main-reservoir pressure, is in 
automatically maintaining a certain excess pressure 
no matter what the brake-pipe pressure may be; what- 
ever the latter pressure is, the main-reservoir pressure 
will become just as much higher as the adjustment of 
the regulating spring in the excess-pressure governor 
top will permit. An engine with E-T equipment may 
be regularly carrying 70 pounds pressure in the brake 
pipe and 90 pounds in the main reservoir; if, then, it 
becomes necessary to operate the High-Speed Brake, 
the simple readjustment of the feed valve by turning the 

wheel handle until the handle-pin strikes the high- 
[166] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

pressure stop will raise both pressures to the required 
amount. Directly^ the readjustment of the feed valve 
raises the brake-pipe pressure to no pounds; indirectly, 
it raises main-reservoir pressure to 130 pounds, be- 
cause the increase of brake-pipe pressure equally in- 
creases the air pressure upon the diaphragm of the 
excess-pressure governor top: no pounds (brake-pipe 
pressure) y plus 20 pounds (spring pressure), equals 130 
pounds, the regulating power of excess-pressure gover- 
nor top, High-Speed Brake. 

(Where there is a possibility of having ta change 
from the 70-pound brake to the High-Speed Brake, the 
high-pressure — right-hand — governor top should not 
be set at less than 140 pounds, in order that it may 
operate at a higher figure than the High-Speed pressure 
adjustment of the excess-pressure top.) 

Another important feature is that before commencing, 
and during, the descent of steep grades, this governor 
enables the engineer to raise and maintain the brake- 
pipe pressure about 20 pounds above the feed- valve 
regulation, merely by the use of release position of the 
automatic brake-valve, the position which should be 
used during such braking. 

While the turning of adjustment nut 18 will in- 
crease or decrease the maximum pressure that can be 
obtained in the main reservoir, remember that turning 
adjusting nut 26 increases or decreases the amount of 

[167] 



Adjustment of Pump Governor 

excess pressure that will be regularly carried; and that 
in running and holding positions of the automatic 
brake-valve the location of both hands on the large 
duplex gauge is governed by the adjustment of the 
feed valve; but that spring 27 in the excess-pressure 
governor top keeps the two gauge hands 20 pounds apart. 



[168] 



s 



^ Q 



^ w 

Be. 

o ^ 

g-. p 

In 

trrD 



TJ ft) 

n CTQ 

p CD 

P ^ 



CfQ 3 



Fig. 46 



■? 



03 W 

1 




The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



THE COMBINED AIR STRAINER AND 
CHECK-VALVE. 

With the advent of the No. 6 E-T equipment, the 
Combined Air Strainer and Check-Valve illustrated 
in Fig. 46 is furnished as a part of the locomotive-brake 
equipment, whether specified by the purchaser or not; 
and, if the Train Air Signal is to be used, two of these 
are furnished. A |-inch cut-out cock is also supplied 
to be used in connection with each. 

In the ordinary automatic equipment the locomotive 
braking power is supplied from the brake pipe (train 
line), and the brake on a dead engine is automatically 
operative the same as any car brake. In the E-T 
equipment, however, while it is automatically operated 
through the brake-pipe air, locomotive braking pressure 
must be taken directly from the main reservoir. One 
appHcation of the Combined Air Strainer and Check- 
Valve is as the dead -engine feature, by which air 
from the brake pipe is supplied to the main reservoir 
of a dead engine, or one whose air pump is inoper- 
ative — said engine being in tow — and this is an 
important adjunct to the E-T locomotive-brake 

equipment. 

[169] 



Combined Air Strainer and Check- Valve 

When the Train Air-Signal System is used, the Com- 
bined Air Strainer and Check- Valve forms the 
connection of the reducing- valve pipe to the signal pipe. 
The Piping Diagrams show both appHcations of this 
attachment. 

As the DEAD-ENGINE FEATURE, Fig. 46 shows that 
the end nearest the check-valve is connected to a pipe 
containing main-reservoir pressure, and the opposite 
end to a branch of the brake pipe, the latter connection 
containing the cut-out cock, which should be left closed 
except under the conditions mentioned in which it must 
be opened to supply pressure from the brake pipe to 
the main reservoir; when open, brake-pipe air, entering 
as shown in the cut, passes through the disc strainers 
7 and the curled-hair stuffing between the discs, lifts 
check-valve 4 which has been held to its seat by the 
strong spring 5, passes through the small choke bushing, 
and out to the main-reservoir connection as indicated, 
thus providing pressure for operating the brake on this 
locomotive. The Independent and Automatic Brake- 
Valves should be in running position, and the double- 
heading cock under the latter valve should be closed. 
When the tender is Ught of coal and water, or the loco- 
motive boiler empty, it is commendable practice to 
reduce the maximum braking power of such a loco- 
motive lower than the standard; and this can be easily 

and quickly done by reducing the adjustment of the 
[170] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

safety valve on the distributing valve; however, if an 
engineman is in the cab this will be unnecessary, as 
excessive brake power can be thrown off at will by the 
Independent Brake- Valve. 

The spring, 5, over the check- valve is made extra 
strong to insure the valve seating, and, although per- 
mitting ample pressure to operate the locomotive brake, 
keeps the main-reservoir pressure somewhat lower than 
that in the brake pipe, thereby reducing the chances 
of back leakage from the former. The small choke 
port prevents a heavy drain from the brake pipe when 
the uncharged main-reservoir is cut into a charged brake 
pipe, and operates similarly to the feed groove in a 
triple valve. 

As the SIGNAL-LINE CONNECTION, the end nearest 
the check-valve connects with the branch of the main 
signal-pipe, and the opposite end with the reducing- 
valve pipe; when so used, a lighter spring is furnished 
for check- valve 4, and this constitutes the only difference, 
constructively, in the two applications of the Combined 
Air Strainer and Check-Valve. The check-valve 
is here necessary to prevent back flow of signal-line 
pressure when an independent-brake application is 
made, and the consequent blowing of the air whistle 
out of time. A cut-out cock should also be placed in 
one of the pipes connecting with this signal-system at- 
tachment, preferably in the branch pipe connecting 

[171] 



Signal Line Connection 

with the reducing-valve pipe, the cut-out cock standing 
open normally, but necessary for the purpose of cutting 
out the signal line system if such should ever be re- 
quired; and to facihtate the cleaning of the check valve, 
which should be done occasionally. 



[172I 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 



GENERAL OPERATION OF THE TRAIN 
AND LOCOMOTIVE BRAKES. 

Before Leaving the Vicinity of the Roundhouse. 

See that everything about the air-brake and air-signal 
(if used) systems is working properly. While the air 
pump should be started slowly, the air pressures should 
be pumped up to the limit, with the automatic and 
independent brake-valves in running position. Then 
note air gauges, and if either hand (or both) on the 
large duplex gauge does not show the desired pressure, 
regulate the black hand first, by adjusting the feed 
valve. Then if the red hand is not standing at the 
desired figure, correct that by adjusting the regulating 
spring of the excess-pressure governor top. Next, 
make a light service reduction by the automatic brake- 
valve, note its action, and watch the red hand rise; if 
it does not stop at the desired pressure, correct the 
adjustment of the high-pressure governor top. Re- 
turn the brake-valve from lap to holding position and 
watch the red hand of the small duplex gauge to see 
that the brake-cylinder pressure will be maintained, 
thus making it safe to depend upon the holding power 
of the locomotive brake while making a running release 
of the train brakes on the road. Replace the brake- 
valve handle in running position and see that engine 

[173] 



Brake Operation. Freight Service 

and tender brakes promptly release. Then place the 
independent brake-valve handle in slow-application 
position and note that red hand of small duplex gauge 
indicates correct adjustment of the reducing valve; 
push the handle to quick-application, and then to 
release, positions to test the return spring, and leave the 
valve handle in running position. 

Before making tests, however, it is advisable to blow 
out the brake pipe and signal pipe at front of engine 
and rear of tender, by opening and closing the angle 
cocks and cut-out cocks a time or two. 

On the Road. 

Freight Service, — With long trains the best results 
are obtained in making service stops by one rather 
heavy reduction, as experience has proven that Kght 
initial reductions are more productive of shocks to the 
train when, as is most common, there is a difference of 
braking forces as between the forward and rear portions 
of the train, due to variance of piston travel, loaded 
cars ahead and empty ones behind, etc. 

To release the train brakes, always use the release 
position of the automatic brake-valve; leave in that 
position until assured that all car brakes are released, 
then move the handle to holding position; when the 
train has stopped, or if there seems to be no reason 
for keeping the locomotive brake on any longer, return 
[174] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the handle to running position. After releasing the train 
brakes while runnings however^ and having brought 
the brake-valve handle back to holding position, leave 
it there until the tendency toward train stretching is 
past, and then release the locomotive brake by the run- 
ning position without danger of the train parting. 

After releasing the brakes of a long train, and a few- 
seconds after the automatic brake- valve handle has been 
returned to running position, move it again to release 
position for about 5 seconds; this is to insure the per- 
manent release of some of the car brakes that may have 
started to reapply on account of the ^rop of brake- 
pipe pressure at the forward end of the train line which 
always accompanies the return of the brake-valve to 
running or holding positions after the release of the 
brakes of a train of some length (this will be noticed by 
watching the brake-pipe gauge). 

Passenger Service, — On very long passenger trains, 
the braking should be done the same as with freight 
trains, in most respects. In ordinary passenger service, 
however, there are certain special rules to be observed 
in operating the E-T brake, as follows: Two applica- 
tion station or service stops should invariably be made, 
and this method becomes imperative with the original 
High-Speed Brake. In releasing after the first appli- 
cation, the best results are secured by moving the auto- 
matic brake-valve to running position, and thereby 

[175] 



Brake Operation. Passenger Service 

releasing the locomotive brake as well as the train 
brakes; then, the second application will have a smooth 
and even effect. This is perfectly safe to do with almost 
any passenger train, as the brake-pipe supply ports 
through the H-6 brake-valve that are open in running 
position are as large as the direct-release ports, and 
the flow of air in the former position is only restricted 
by the capacity of the feed valve which in the B-6 
model is ample for the purpose. Another good feature 
of the running- position-release is that the pressure in 
the brake pipe will not be raised above 70 pounds, and 
if this is followed by a slight pause of the brake-valve 
handle in the lap position there will be no brake-pipe 
overcharge to displace, and the brakes will immediately 
respond to the second application. 

Use of the independent brake- valve should be avoided 
as far as possible while running with a passenger train, 
and, if used at all, the greatest care must be exercised 
in applying and releasing the locomotive brake, to 
avoid shocks to the train. 

General Service. — ^To apply the brakes in emergency, 
move the handle of the automatic brake-valve quickly 
to emergency position, and leave it there until the train 
stops or the danger is past. 

When the train and locomotive brakes are appHed 

and it becomes necessary to release the locomotive 

brake only, it is accompHshed by holding the independ- 
[176] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

ent brake-valve in the release position until the brake- 
cylinder pressure is partially or completely exhausted, 
as may be desired, then bring the handle to running 
position and leave it there. Or, with the train and 
locomotive brakes applied, if it is desired to increase 
the braking power of the locomotive, use the applica- 
tion position of the independent brake- valve and return 
it to running position. 

When the automatic brake-valve is in running posi- 
tion an application of the locomotive brake by the 
independent brake-valve can always be released by 
simply returning the handle of the latter valve to run- 
ning position. 

Use the independent brake-valve exclusively when 
without a train; with a train, use it only when abso- 
lutely necessary, and then with the greatest care. 

Before leaving the engine while doing work about it, 
or when it is standing at a coal chute or water plug, 
on the turntable, etc., always leave the independent 
brake- valve handle in application position. 

In case of train parting, or other causes of automatic 
applications of the brakes, such as a burst hose, use 
of the conductor's valve, etc., place the handle of the 
automatic brake- valve in the lap position: this to save 
the main-reservoir air from blowing away, and to assist 
the application of the brakes (from an application of 
this kind the locomotive brake will hold with full 

[i77l 



Brake Operation. General Service 

power whether the brake-valve is lapped or not; whereas 
with the No. 5 equipment the locomotive brake could 
not be applied automatically while the brake- valve was 
in running position) . 

In heavy grade service, release position of the auto- 
matic brake-valve should always be used. In order 
to prevent overheating of driving-wheel tires, and to 
assist the pressure-retaining valves in holding the train 
while the auxiliary reservoirs are being recharged, 
it is recommended to work the independent locomotive- 
brake and the train brakes alternately; this may be 
done by holding the independent brake-valve in 
release position while the train brakes are being 
appHed by the automatic brake-valve, and applying 
the independent brake just before releasing the train 
brakes. 

The independent brake will hold a locomotive v.dth 
leaky throttle valve, or quite a heavy train on a fairly 
steep grade after having stopped, if it is solidly applied 
before the train brakes are released. But remember, 
always, that when the independent brake is to be relied 
upon, absolutely, the independent brake-valve must 
he left in application position, and not be moved back to 
the position of lap. 

When there are two or more locomotives in a train, 
the double-heading cock must be closed and the handle 
of the automatic brake-valve carried in running posi- 
[178] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

tion, on each engine except the one from which the 
brakes are operated. 

Whenever an appHcation of the train and locomotive 
brakes has been made on a double- or triple-headed 
train, while running, the automatic brake-valve on 
each '' cut-out^ ^ engine in the train should be placed in 
Holding Position, in expectation that a slow-speed, 
running release may be made; and if it should, the 
brakes of the "cut-out^^ locomotives will be retained, 
to help hold the forward portion of the train from 
surging ahead and possibly breaking in two; after the 
train brakes have all fully released, the automatic 
brake-valve handles on the secondary locomotives 
should be returned to Running Position, in which the 
locomotive brakes will release. 

When coupHng to a train whose brake pipe and 
auxiliary reservoirs are empty or at a low pressure, if 
the automatic brake-valve handle is permitted to re- 
main in running position the air pump will stop work- 
ing, and will not restart until the fall of main-reservoir 
pressure and the rise of brake-pipe pressure has brought 
the two pointers on the large duplex gauge within less 
than 20 pounds of each other. This does not indicate 
a defective condition anywhere, and is perfectly natural 
to the E-T equipment in general. The proper proce- 
dure is always to place the automatic brake-valve in 
release position at such a time, and do not return it 

[179] 



Reporting Air-Brake Repair Work 

to running position until the two gauge hands are within 
15 pounds of each other — never permitting the black 
hand to rise above 70 pounds, permanently, however. 



On Arrival at Roundhouse at Finish of Trip. 

Reporting Air-Brake Repair Work, — The best policy 
is for an engineer himself to inspect, clean and oil the 
equalizing-discharge piston and rotary valve of the 
automatic brake- valve, and the rotary valve of the inde- 
pendent brake- valve; to attend to any necessary adjust- 
ment of the feed valve and reducing valve, and the 
regulation of the pump governors. In respect to the 
latter, there is a fine strainer in each main-reservoir 
pressure pipe-connection to the governor tops which 
should be cleaned, and the pipes blown out occasionally. 

If the return spring in the independent brake-valve 
gets broken, do not fail to insist on having a new spring 
put in at once. Don't make a single trip without this 
spring being in good condition, or else the handle may 
be forgotten in the release position — warning port 
gummed up — and in case a quick stop is seriously 
necessary, the failure of the locomotive brake to apply 
(which will be the result) may be disastrous. 

Become well enough informed on the E-T brake to 
be able to make accurate and intelligent reports of nec- 
essary work. Make no such indefinite reports as 
[180] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

^^ brake valve not working properly^\' state the trouble 
with the brake-valve, and you won't have any com- 
plaint to make against the repair men, nor trouble in 
handling the train next trip on account of brake-valve 
not working properly. 

Don't allow your driver- and tender-brake piston 
travel to become too long, and don't permit brake- 
cylinder leakage to exist, just because these things 
haven't interfered so far with the power and holding 
effect of your locomotive brake; don't let the driver- 
brake pistons run out much more than 4 inches, the 
tender-brake piston 7 inches, and the locomotive truck- 
brake piston 6 inches. If you have to shorten the 
piston travel yourself, take up the slack of the driver- 
brake rigging by means of the screw take-up arrange- 
ment in the brake rods near the cylinder-lever connec- 
tions, as nearly equal on both sides as possible, and 
so that the shoes will hang as close to the wheels as 
possible without contact with the tires. The same 
applies to the tender brake, taking up its slack by means 
of the dead truck-levers, an equal amount on each 
truck, but do not let its piston travel be shortened to 
less than 5 inches. 

Testing for Leaks in the No, 6 Equipment, — ^This 
concerns the shop man as well as the engineman. 
Any usual reason that may be given to explain cer- 
tain leakage from one pipe or air chamber to another 

[ 181 ] 



Testing for Leaks 

can be counterfeited by leaks between ports in the 
distributing-valve gasket, although it is unusual for this 
to happen. The gasket is shown in Fig. 47; the differ- 
ent pressures that are ported through it are named 
thereon, and it can be seen that any number of pressure 
combinations may occur from intercommunication of 
the ports. To avoid possibility of such trouble, before 
the valve section is re-attached to the reservoir section 
after removal it should be seen that the gasket is in 
perfect condition, that no parts are torn from it and 
sticking to the faces of the sections of the distributing 
valve; then rub dry graphite on both sides of the gasket, 
and after the two sections are together tighten the bolts 
alternately and gradually, working around until all 
are perfectly tight. 

The same thing appUes to gaskets 18 and 19 of the 
automatic brake- valve, and gasket 25 of the independ- 
ent brake-valve, to a certain extent. See that the long 
bolts through the brake-valves are always perfectly 
tight, and if either valve is placed so close to the boiler 
that the heat will harden and crack the gaskets, have 
the brake- valve relocated in a better place. 

In erecting the piping, it should be seen that the pipe 

to the black hand of the small duplex gauge is connected 

to a tee in the brake pipe helow the double-heading cock, 

so that brake-pipe pressure will be indicated when the 

brake-valve is cut out. 
[182] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Have all pipes secure against vibration. Have the 
feed valve and reducing valve bolted firmly to an iron 
support; don't compel the pipes to support themselves 
and the heavy valves, too. 

If anything about the tender brake becomes defective, 
necessitating cutting it out, remember the cut-out cock 

MAIN RESERVOIR BRAKE CYLINDER 

PIPE PORT ..<«s!55SSS55&9»^ /PIPE PORT 



APPLICATION CYLINDER 
PIPE PORT' 



APPLICATION CHAMBER PORT- 




BRAKE PIPE PORT 
( TRAIN LINE") 



DISTRIBUTING VAL^E^-^v^ .-^^^PRESSURE CHAMBER PORT 

RELEASE PIPE PORT^ -— 

Copyright, 1909, by The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 

Fig. 47. — Distributing-Valve Gasket. No. 6 distributing valve. 
Used between valve section and double-chamber reservoir. 



for that purpose is not on the tender, but is located on the 
engine, in the branch of the brake-cylinder pipe that 
leads to the tender brake, and close to the hose connec- 
tion with tender. 

Regular signal hose, one pair complete, are used in 
the brake-cylinder pipe line between engine and tender. 
When the engine-truck brake is part of the equipment, 
the pipe line to truck brake terminates in a single-hose 
connection with the brake cylinder, the ends of this 
hose being fitted with union and nipple, respectively. 

[183] 



Broken or Leaking Pipes 

See that the pipe conveying main-reservoir air to the 
high-pressure governor top is connected to the main- 
reservoir cut-out cock, and that the cock is so put up 
that the governor-pipe connection will be on the main- 
reservoir side. If the cut-out cock is located on the 
opposite side of the engine from the pump governor, con- 
nect this governor pipe to a branch of the main-reservoir 
pipe that can not be cut out; this to insure the pump 
always being under the control of the governor, for 
when the main-reservoir cut-out cock is closed the pres- 
sure will be exhausted from all other parts of the 
locomotive air-brake equipment. 

Broken or Leaking Pipes. 

MainBrakePipe (^^ train line'') Under Tender. — When 
broken or badly leaking, dispense with the use of the 
train air signal, and use the main signal pipe under the 
tender in place of the defective brake pipe. Every 
engine should carry two ^^combination hose^^ complete 
— very short hose with brake couplings on one end 
and signal couplings on the other end — for use in such 
cases, and also when the brake-pipe rupture occurs 
under any car in a passenger train and it may be unde- 
sirable to switch the car to the rear of the train. Place 
the automatic brake-valve on lap, and close the cut-out 
cock in the signal line supply-pipe near the combined 
[184] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

air strainer and check- valve; close both angle and cut- 
out cocks between rear of tender and first car; separate 
the brake and signal hose connections between engine 
and tender, and tender and car; recouple the brake 
hose from engine to signal hose on tender, and signal 
hose from rear of tender to.brake hose on first car; open 
cut-out cock at rear of tender, and angle cock at head end 
of the car; place automatic brake- valve first in release, 
then in running position, and you are ready to proceed. 
Equalizing-Reservoir Pipe, — With this pipe broken, 
stop the flow of air from the rupture by" putting a blind 
gasket in the union of the tee-fitting by which it connects 
with the automatic brake-valve; plug the service- 
exhaust opening under the brake- valve, and proceed 
— carrying the brake-valve in running position as usual. 
In making stops, no results will follow the movement 
of the brake-valve handle to the service-application 
position, except that the black hand of the large duplex 
gauge will instantly drop to zero. Do your service 
braking by jumping your automatic brake- valve handle 
over the service-stop shoulder, cutting-in to the emer- 
gency position just far enough to draw off brake-pipe 
air directly J but comparatively lightly, through the '^big 
hole" of the brake-valve. The appHcation can be 
graduated very nicely, if care is used, noting the amount 
of brake-pipe reduction that is being made hy the black 
hand of the srniall duplex gauge. Return the handle to 

[185] 



Broken Pipes 

lap position rather slowly, or some of the forward 
brakes will "kick off'' — release themselves. 

Main-Reservoir Supply Pipe to Distributing Valve, -^ 
With this pipe broken beyond repair, the locomotive 
brake is inoperative by either brake valve. If broken 
between the cut-out cock and distributing valve, simply 
close the cock; if the rupture is between the cut-out 
cock and main reservoir, plug, or place a blind gasket 
in the pipe toward the latter pressure : or, if conditions 
permit, remove the pieces of broken pipe and re-attach 
the closed cut-out cock, so as to shut off the escape of 
pressure. Proceed, bearing in mind the absence of 
locomotive braking-power. 

Brake-Pipe Branch to Distributing Valve, — Judging 
from results on different roads, this is most frequently 
broken of any part of the E-T-equipment piping. 
When it becomes ruptured the locomotive and train 
brakes will apply; lap the automatic brake-valve, per- 
mitting the brakes to stop the train; then plug the bro- 
ken pipe toward the brake-pipe pressure, release train 
brakes, and proceed. The locomotive brake will 
not then operate from an automatic application, but 
can be applied by the independent brake-valve, al- 
though the release position must be used to release it. 

Brake-Cylinder Pipe From Distributing Valve, — 
A cracked joint occurring at any point in this pipe 
line while on the road, if not opened too wide, may not 

[i86] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

weaken the pressure in any of the locomotive brake- 
cyHnders, but there will be a continuous blow of air 
from the point of rupture when the locomotive brake 
is applied. If the pipe is nearly or quite broken off 
between the distributing valve and brake-cylinder 
cut-out cocks, at the first stopping point close the cock 
in the main-reservoir supply pipe to distributing valve, 
and proceed without the locomotive brake. A break 
in this pipe line between either brake cylinder and its 
individual cut-out cock, will only deprive the locomo- 
tive of the power of that one brake cylinder, for, on 
account of the small choke-fittings in the brake-cylinder 
cut-out cocks, the pressure can not blow away from 
the other brake cylinders of the locomotive as fast as 
the application valve of the distributing valve can 
supply it. At the first stop, close the cut-out cock in the 
branch pipe that is affected. 

Application-Cylinder Pipe. — As the result of a leak 
in this pipe, an automatic or independent application 
might or might not set the locomotive brake, depending 
upon the extent of leakage, but after placing the brake 
valve in lap position, the locomotive brake would 
release itself — if it set at all. If not possible to remedy 
the defect, plug the application-cylinder pipe toward 
the distributing valve; the locomotive brake can then 
be applied as usual by the automatic brake-valve, and 
released by that valve in running position, but the inde- 

[187] 



Broken Pipes 

pendent brake-valve will be powerless to apply or re- 
lease it. 

Distributing-Valve Release Pipe, — ^The breakage of 
this pipe need not cause any delay, nor will it affect 
the braking power of the locomotive during an appli- 
cation; but when the automatic brake-valve is placed 
in release or holding positions the usual effect is not 
wholly obtainable, the locomotive brake will release at 
once; and with a long train the train brakes should 
be held on until coming to a dead stop after all ap- 
plications while running. The locomotive brake can be 
applied by the independent brake-valve, but will re- 
lease if that brake-valve is placed in the lap position. 

Feed-Valve Pipe Branch to Excess-Pressure Governor 
Top, — If it breaks off, plug it toward the feed- valve 
pipe; the excess-pressure governor top will not then 
permit the pump to work when the main-reservoir 
pressure is as high as 45 pounds, while the automatic 
brake- valve is in release, running, or holding positions ; 
to remedy this, place a bHnd gasket in the pipe leading 
from the automatic brake-valve to the chamber under 
the diaphragm of the excess-pressure top, which com- 
pletely cuts that governor top out of service; the pump 
will then be controlled solely by the high-pressure 
governor top, and will regularly maintain the main- 
reservoir pressure at the maximum figure. 

Main-Reservoir Pressure Pipe from Automatic Brake- 
[188] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Valve to Excess-Pressure Governor Top. — If this pipe 
breaks en route, place the automatic brake-valve on 
lap, and quickly plug the pipe toward the brake valve; 
then move the brake valve into release position for 
about three seconds, and back to running position. 
Results will be the same, then, as after remedying for 
the last mentioned defect, the high-pressure governor 
top regulating the pump's action. 

Main-Reservoir Pressure Pipe (direct) to High- 
Pressure Governor Top, — Plug this pipe, when broken, 
toward the main reservoir, and go right" along; but as 
the excess-pressure governor top then exercises the 
only automatic control of the pump — and it only when 
the automatic brake- valve is in release, running, and 
holding positions, — wnen the brake- valve is in lap, serv- 
ice, or emergency positions, the gauge hand indicating 
main-reservoir pressure should be watched, and if it 
begins to get too high the steam should be eased off 
from the pump by closing the throttle at the boiler, as 
far as may be necessary. 

Reducing-Valve Pipe, — Rupture of this pipe has a 

farther-reaching effect than merely in cutting off the 

supply of pressure to the independent brake- valve, and 

possibly the air-signal system. Stop the flow of air 

from the broken pipe, by turning the adjusting nut 

so as to loosen the regulating spring of the reducing 

valve, until the blow of air ceases. Letting it go at 

[189] 



Broken Pipes 

that, it would also be impossible to secure an automatic 
application of the locomotive brake; and the further 
remedy is to plug the broken pipe toward the independ- 
ent brake-valve, and plug the exhaust port in the bottom 
of the brake-valve. The independent brake-valve is 
then valueless, except as a fixture, the handle of which 
must not be moved from running position; but the 
operation and holding power of the automatic brake 
of the locomotive will not be affected. • 

Pilot Section of Brake Pipe. — An angle cock is not 
generally used at the pilot end of the brake pipe, an 
angle fitting taking its place, and a cut-out cock is 
placed in the brake pipe back of the engine cylinders. 
Therefore, when coupHng to a train in front of the lo- 
comotive, it is not uncommon to find that the pilot 
section of this pipe — forward of the cut-out cock — 
is broken. In such case, when it becomes necessary to 
couple the air from the locomotive to the train ahead 
— and there are no cars behind — use a ^^combination 
hose^^ to connect the brake hose and signal hose to- 
gether at rear of tender, and open their angle and cut- 
out cocks; use the other ^^combination hose'' at the 
pilot, to couple the signal hose from the engine to the 
brake hose of the car; open the angle and cut-out 
cocks in the connected line at the pilot, and close the 
cut-out cock in the pressure-supply pipe to the air- 
signal line, and the locomotive and train brakes are 
[190] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

then under regular control by the operation of the 
automatic brake-valve. 

Testing. 

For use in making roundhouse tests of the E-T equip- 
ment, a test gauge with a discharge cock (use a f-inch 
release cock), a i-inch brake-coupHng, and a signal 
coupling, the couplings with threaded shanks connect- 
ing to two of the openings of a |-inch 3-way cock, and 
the gauge at the other opening. First, connect this 
testing instrument to the brake hose-coiipling at rear 
of tender, or at the pilot, with the automatic brake- 
valve in release position; open the angle cock, and 
set the 3-way cock so the test gauge will receive 
the pressure, and close the small discharge-cock on the 
testing instrument; then see that the red hand of the 
large duplex gauge, and the black hands of both air 
gauges, register together, and to correspond with the 
test gauge; or note any errors — a variance of two 
pounds demanding correction of the gauge. Have 
some one then to make a service reduction, reducing 
the brake-pipe pressure to about 10 pounds below nor- 
mal (to 60 pounds), and then to replace the automatic 
brake-valve handle in running position — this to test 
the sensitiveness and the adjustment of the feed valve. 
Note the rise of the hand on the test gauge, which should 
stop at 70 pounds. Then open the small release cock 

[191] 



Testing No. 6 Equipment 

on the testing instrument, and consider the action of 
the hand on the test gauge; if it fluctuates, falling as 
much as 2 pounds or more, or shows a slow overcharge 
of the brake pipe, the feed valve should be cleaned and 
oiled. 

Next, connect the testing instrument — release cock 
closed — with the signal-hose coupHng at front or rear 
of the locomotive; set the 3-way cock to receive that 
pressure, and open the signal line cut-out cock; place 
the independent brake-valve in application position, 
and compare the indications of the red hand of the 
small duplex gauge with the hand on the test gauge; 
this also shows the adjustment of the reducing valve, 
and to test its sensitiveness open the small discharge 
cock on the testing instrument and watch for fluctua- 
tions, same as in case of the feed valve. 

To test the pump governor: with automatic brake- 
valve in running position note that main-reservoir pres- 
sure is registered 20 pounds (or the amount of excess 
pressure to be regularly carried) higher than brake-pipe 
pressure, correcting any error in this by readjustment 
of the regulating spring of the excess-pressure governor 
top. Then place the brake-valve handle in the lap 
position, in which the red hand of the large duplex 
gauge should register the higher, or maximum, main- 
reservoir pressure that is standard for the class of 

engine. 
[192] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Testing the automatic brake-valve, first make a 
5-pound service reduction and lap the valve; if the black 
hand of the large air-gauge continues to fall, slowly, 
and there is a blow of air from the equalizing-discharge 
port under the brake valve, there is a leak of equalizing- 
reservoir pressure, which must be stopped before 
proceeding further. Afterward, make a 20-pound 
service reduction of brake-pipe pressure, lap the brake- 
valve, and close the double-heading cock beneath it; 
if, then, the black hand of the large air-gauge gradually 
rises, it indicates a leaky rotary valve, or a leakage in the 
middle gasket, 18, of the automatic brake- valve. 

Test locomotive brake-pipe leakage by making a 
7-pound service reduction, lapping the brake-valve 
and closing the double-heading cock beneath it; then 
time the fall of brake-pipe pressure as indicated by 
the black hand of the small duplex gauge, and which 
should not exceed 5 pounds in one minute. 

To test for locomotive brake-cylinder leakage, make 
a full-on application by the independent brake-valve, 
close the cut-out cock in the main-reservoir supply 
pipe to distributing valve, and note the brake-cylinder 
leakage as indicated by the red hand of the small duplex 
gauge. To find out which of the brake cylinders are 
leaking, shut off each one in turn by closing its indi- 
vidual cut-out cock and timing the fall of the cylinder- 
pressure gauge hand; when the fall of pressure is materi- 

[ 193 ] 



Testing No. 6 Equipment 

ally lessened with a brake cylinder cut-out, its leaky 
condition is evident. 

After an application of the locomotive brake, if, 
in slov^ly releasing it by the independent brake-valve, 
the red hand of the small duplex gauge falls as would 
be expected, but at no time during the release does any 
brake-cylinder pressure escape from its natural exhaust 
opening in the front of the distributing valve, the cause 
is due to a bad condition of the appUcation portion of 
the distributing valve; the leather packing of the appli- 
cation piston may be in good condition, but the pack- 
ing ring is not; the ring may be worn, or broken, 
or stuck tight in its groove by gummy dirt and will 
not expand to make a tight joint. This is probably 
aggravated by an unnatural resistance of the applica- 
tion and exhaust slide valves, from being dirty and 
lacking lubrication. Some insistence is often necessary 
to get inspectors to clean and oil the application piston 
and its connecting valves, on account of the trouble 
in getting it out, as, besides taking off the appUcation- 
cylinder cover, the top cover over the application valve 
must also be removed, involving the taking out of the 
many little screws that hold it; the application valve 
must be Ufted off, and the pin that operates it pulled 
out of the application-piston spindle, before the piston 
can be removed. But, if any part of the E-T equipment 
should be slighted in care, it must not be the distributing 
[194] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

valve — the fundamental ^^hub" of the locomotive bra- 
king system. 

Directions for testing the different parts of the No. 6 
E-T equipment for the many possible defects could be 
continued almost indefinitely, but to give them all in 
detail would imply that the reader, or student, is not 
capable of understanding when and how a certain 
part is working defectively after he has learned how it 
should work when it is operating correctly, and if the 
implication should be correct the details would be an 
overtax on his memory. The main essentials in round- 
house testing of this equipment are given above; but 
the chief air-brake inspector, the roundhouse foreman, 
and the back shop air-brake repair men, should become 
so thoroughly acquainted with the No. 6 E-T equip- 
ment by a complete understanding of the subject matter 
of this book, that they will be able to detect the many 
possible irregularities of the equipment; in fact, to 
so educate them — and locomotive enginemen — is the 
object of this work. 



[195] 



No. 5 E-T Equipment 

THE NO. 5 E-T LOCOMOTIVE-BRAKE 
EQUIPMENT. 

Its General Construction. 

Probably the larger number of E-T-equipped loco- 
motives at the present time have the former, No. 5 
STYLE, which was discontinued with the advent of the 
No. 6, and all locomotives recently built have the later, 
improved type, as all will have in the future. As a 
fact, there is but very little difference between the two 
styles of this equipment, and if either one is well under- 
stood it will only require a few words of explanation to 
make the other style equally clear. 

Fig. 48 shows the No. 5 E-T Equipment; and the 
only difference between this plate and a diagram of the 
No. 6 style is in the two small copper pipes connecting 
with the left side of the distributing valve — the only 
ones shown in colors in this cut, as all other parts are 
exactly similar in appearance, pressures contained, and 
their duties, to the corresponding parts now well under- 
stood in the No. 6 equipment. The orange-colored 
pipe — lower connection on the left side of distributing 
valve — performs, to a certain limit, the duties of both 
of the ''two little copper pipes" of the No. 6 equipment; 
while the blue-colored pipe plays no part whatever in any 
of the phases of brake operation (except an undesirable 
[196] 







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The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

part, when leaking), unless the locomotive is placed 
in a train of which the brakes are operated from another 
engine; hence the name of the latter pipe, as given in 
the Color Key — the ^'Double-Heading Pipe,^^ 

The ^ra^^^^-colored Application-Chamber Pipe there- 
fore becomes a most important part of this equip- 
ment; the application chamber and application cylinder 
are in permanent communication with each other in 
the No. 5 distributing valve, and from those combined 
chambers the application-chamber pipe leads to the 
atmosphere, via the independent brake-valve, at the 
automatic brake- valve — when both brake- valves are in 
Running Position; through this pipe the locomotive 
brake is released when the automatic brake-valve is 
returned to Running Position after an application, and 
applied or released by the independent brake-valve. 
It will be observed that when the automatic and inde- 
pendent brake-valves are placed in Release Position, 
pressure that may have been contained in the application 
chamber and application cylinder will be exhausted, and 
the locomotive brake released regardless of whether 
the equalizing, or triple-valve, portion of the distribu- 
ting valve is in release position or not; and from this 
it follows that when an automatic application is made 
from the train — by use of the conductor's valve, an 
angle cock, or from the train parting — there is a special 
reason for placing the automatic brake-valve handle 

[197] 



Piping, No. 5 Equipment 

in the Lap Position, for otherwise the locomotive brake 
will not hold; if this duty should be delayed, and the 
brake- valve handle later be placed in the Lap Position, 
the locomotive braking pressure will be built up, how- 
ever, by the maintaining pressure which in this style 
of equipment originates in, and is supplied by, the 
distributing valve. 

The blue-colored or Double-Heading Pipe leads 
from the exhaust port of the equalizing, or triple-valve 
(lower), portion of the distributing valve to the double- 
heading cock under the automatic brake-valve, and 
under ordinary conditions is blanked by the latter. 
The double-heading cock has two ports through it, the 
ports in the cock key being at right angles to each 
other; when the cock is ^^open," brake-pipe pressure 
flows through it, and the port connecting with the 
double-heading pipe is closed; when, as on the second 
engine in double-heading, the double-heading cock is 
*' closed," while it does cut off connection between the 
automatic brake- valve and the brake pipe, the smaller 
port in the cock key is then open, connecting the sec- 
tion of the blue pipe that comes from the distributing 
valve with the upper section of that pipe-line leading 
to the automatic brake- valve; but here the pipe is again 
blanked, until the brake-valve handle is placed in 
Lap Position, in which, through a port in the rotary 

valve, the double-heading pipe line finds an exit to the 
[198] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

atmosphere at the large, emergency-exhaust opening. 
Outside of the two colored pipes, as noted, the whole 
No. 5 equipment is about the same as the No. 6. 

In the distributing valve, the upper, or application, 
portion is exactly the same; and the lower, or equaliz- 
ing, portion only differs in a slight variation of the ports 
in the equalizing slide valve, and the absence of the 
graduating spring that is supplied in the No. 6 distrib- 
uting valve. The safety valve on the No. 5 distributing 
valve is set at 53 pounds, instead of 68 pounds as in 
the No. 6 equipment. The small air gauge is of the 
single-pointer style, the one (black) hand registering 
locomotive brake-cylinder pressure. Refer to the '^No. 
5 Distributing Valve," the ''H-5 Automatic Brake- 
Valve," the ^^No. 5,"or^^S-F," ^independent Brake- 
Valve," the ^'B-4 Feed Valve," the ^^B-3 Reducing 
Valve," and the ''S-F4 Pump Governor," in this style 
of equipment. 

Handle Positions of the Engineer's Brake- Valves, 
No. 5 E-T Equipment. 

The Automatic and Independent Brake-Valves 
have the same number of operating positions, each, 
in the No. 5 as in the No. 6 equipment, and their action 
is so nearly the same that if an engineer was used to 
either style, he could operate the other without any 
special instructions, in ordinary service; but there is 

[ 199 ] 



The No. 5 Brake Valves 

some difference in the work performed by the several 
parts of the equipment, which will be briefly mentioned. 
It will be assumed that an automatic application had 
been made: 

The H-5 Automatic Brake- Valve. 

In Release Position of the handle, the results obtained 
are precisely the same as explained in reference to the 
H-6 valve; main-reservoir pressure is supplied directly 
to the brake pipe, releasing the train brakes and moving 
the equalizing portion of the distributing valve to re- 
lease position, which, in addition to permitting the 
recharge of the pressure chamber, connects the appli- 
cation-chamber pressure with the blanked double- 
heading pipe. AppHcation-chamber air fills the appli- 
cation-chamber pipe from the distributing valve, through 
the rotary of the independent brake- valve, to the auto- 
matic brake- valve, where it is blanked by the rotary 
valve. Main-reservoir pressure is being supplied from 
the automatic brake-valve to the chamber under the 
diaphragm of the excess-pressure governor top, control- 
ling the pump at the minimum m.-r. pressure. Air to 
the warning port is from main-reservoir pressure direct. 

In Running Position the direct supply of main- 
reservoir pressure to the brake pipe is cut off, and the 
latter receives its pressure from the 70-pound feed- 
valve pipe, as usual in the E-T equipment. A port in 
[ 200] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the rotary valve now opens the terminus of the appK- 
cation-chamber pipe to the atmosphere, and the loco- 
motive brake .releases (the only position of the brake- 
valve in which it does discharge that pressure). The 
excess-pressure governor top still receives main-reser- 
voir pressure from the brake valve. 

In the Holding Position, feed-valve pressure supply 
to brake pipe is continued, but the application-chamber 
pipe is again blanked; and if the brake- valve handle 
had been drawn quickly to this position from that of 
Release, the effect would be the same .as in Running 
Position, except that the locomotive brake would re- 
main applied. After using this position as long as 
may be necessary, release the locomotive brake by 
returning the brake-valve handle to Running Position, 
and leave it there. Pump control is the same as in 
Running Position. 

Lap Position. — In the three first positions of the 
brake-valve, just mentioned, chamber D and its con- 
nected equalizing reservoir received the same pressure 
that was supplied to the brake pipe; but in Lap, 
Service, and Emergency Positions, chamber D is cut 
off from the air supply. Also, in Lap Position the feed- 
valve pressure no longer flows to the brake pipe, and 
all separable communications in the rotary valve and 
seat are blanked — except one connection that is made 

in this position, only : — the terminus of the double- 

[201] 



Brake- Valve Handle Positions 

heading pipe is opened to the atmosphere through a 
port in the rotary valve, but which ordinarily has no 
effect, however, as this pipe is closed at another point 
— at the double-heading cock. In this, and the fol- 
lowing application positions, the supply of main- 
reservoir pressure through the rotary valve of the auto- 
matic brake-valve to the excess-pressure top of the 
pump governor is cut off, and the pump is then solely 
under the control of the high-pressure governor top. 

(Lap Position is the carrying position for the auto- 
matic brake-valve on all engines that may be in a train, 
except the leading one, or the engine thai is to operate 
the brakes; and on such secondary engines the double- 
heading cocks should be closed — to brake-pipe air, — 
and this completes the opening of the double-heading 
pipe to the atmosphere; having the effect of converting 
the equalizing portion of the distributing valve into 
an actual triple valve with open exhaust port, that can 
be automatically operated by the leading engineer in 
both application and complete-release movements.) 

Service- Application Position. — ^The movement to 

this position does not change the lapped condition of 

the rotary-valve ports, except that the terminus of the 

double-heading pipe is closed, and another port is 

now opened: the small, preliminary-exhaust port is 

open, discharging equalizing-reservoir pressure from 

chamber D, which has the already well-known effect 
[ 202 ] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

of initiating an equal pressure reduction of brake-pipe 
air through the service exhaust port. A return of the 
handle to Lap Position follows, when the equalizing- 
reservoir pressure has been reduced the desired amount. 

Emergency- Application Position. — Like the position 
for service application, that of Emergency has the 
same effect on the train brakes as similar positions of 
the H-6, or any other standard Westinghouse brake- 
valve. In Emergency Position a large port in the 
rotary valve connects the brake-pipe pressure with an 
equally large port in the rotary-valve seat that opens to 
the atmosphere, causing such a quick and heavy reduc- 
tion as to apply all brakes at emergency, or quick action. 

And, as in the No. 6 equipment, an emergency appli- 
cation produces a higher appHcation-cyHnder pressure 
than is obtained at a full service reduction; this pres- 
sure increase was shown to be obtained in the improved. 
No. 6 brake, by the cutting off of the apphcation 
chamber at emergency action of the distributing-valve 
parts, and causing the short equalizing of the pressure- 
chamber air with the small, application cylinder; in the 
No. 5 equipment, the application chamber remains 
in permanent communication with the application- 
cylinder in all phases of distributing-valve action, and 
its increased pressure is only obtained by placing the 
automatic brake-valve in Emergency-Application Po- 
sition, in which position a port in the rotary valve opens 

[ 203] 



The Maintaining Pressure 

communication between chamber D and the appU- 
cation-chamber pipe; and the addition of the volume 
and unreduced pressure of the equaUzing reservoir to 
that of the pressure chamber builds up a pressure to 
act upon the application piston of 60 pounds; whereas 
a full service application can only equalize the pressure 
chamber, application chamber and application cylinder, 
at 50 pounds pressure. 

Maintaining pressure, supplied at a certain time to 
the appHcation cyHnder of the distributing valve, and 
as understood in the No. 6 equipment, is also a factor 
in the No. 5 brake operation, but there is an important 
difference in its origin — an improvement in the No. 6, 
decidedly for the better. In the No. 5 brake, the feed 
of maintaining pressure is not dependent upon the 
placing of the automatic brake-valve in Emergency 
Position ; it does not come through the brake-valve at all, 
originating in the distributing valve; when the equal- 
izing slide valve is drawn to the limit of its application 
movement, a port through it connects the main-reservoir 
pressure (which is always present in the distributing 
valve) with a port in the valve seat that leads to the 
application cylinder via the pressure chamber and appli- 
cation chamber; it will be seen from this that a full 
service application will produce this ^' straight-air^^ 

supply, which is not at all desirable. 
[ 204 ] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

The S-F (No. 5) Independent Brake-Valve. 

The OPERATIVE POSITIONS of the S-F Independent 
Brake- Valve handle are the same as with the S-6 
valve; the positions of Slow Application and Quick 
Application are closer together in the No. 5 valve, 
however, and the shoulder on the quadrant that 
catches the handle bolt in the former position is not as 
pronounced. The return spring only operates to move 
the handle from Release to Running Position; and 
there is no warning port to attract attention in the Re- 
lease Position of the No. 5 (S-F) valve. The duties 
of these two styles of Independent Brake-Valve in 
their five operative positions are just the same, in each, 
and have been fully described in explanation of the 
S-6 brake-valve. 

General Operation of the No. 5 E-T Equipment. 

As IT May Differ from the Improved, No. 6 Style. 

In general operation it may be said that there is no 
difference in the instructions as between the Nos. 5 
and 6 styles of E-T equipment, with the single exception 
of double- or triple-heading, and then so far only as 
concerns the ^^ cut-out ^^ engines; on each engine in the 
train except the one from which the train and locomotive 
brakes are operated, the independent brake-valve 
should, as usual, be carried in Running Position and 

[205] 



No. 5 Independent Brake- Valve 

the automatic brake-valve must be placed in the Lap 
Position, with the double-heading cock beneath it 
'^closed" to brake-pipe pressure. Under such arrange- 
ment, in order to apply the independent locomotive-brake 
the automatic brake-valve handle must first be placed in 
Holding Position; to graduate the appHcation, the 
independent brake-valve should then be placed in 
Slow Application Position and returned to Running 
Position. To release the locomotive brake afterward, 
simply return the automatic brake-valve handle to 
Lap Position. 

After an automatic train- and locomotive-brake ap- 
plication from the operating engine, if it is desired to 
retain the driver and tender brakes on a '' cut-out ^^ 
engine while the train brakes are being released, the 
automatic brake- valve should be temporarily placed in 
Holding Position until it is desired to release the loco- 
motive brake, which will be done by returning the handle 
to Running Position. 

The Dead-Engine Feature is not included in the 
No. 5 E-T brake equipment, and should be specially 
ordered, as its application is strongly recommended. 

In the earlier furnishings of the No. 5 equipment, the 

branch of the feed-valve pipe to the excess-pressure 

top of the pump governor was connected by a union 

to the top of the regulating-spring case, and a stop cock 

was placed in the pipe near the governor; in order to 
[206] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

correct or change the adjustment, with this arrangement, 
it is necessary to first close the stop cock, then discon- 
nect the pipe from the spring case, remove the cap nut, 
and turn the regulating nut in the governor top by guess; 
after which the cap nut is screwed on, the pipe recon- 
nected, and the stop cock reopened; by consulting the 
red hand of the large duplex gauge, it can be ascertained 
how near to the desired figure the adjustment has been 
made; and usually the same procedure will have to be 
gone through several times before the adjustment is 
correct. On most roads this older style of excess-pres- 
sure governor top is being replaced by the newer style, 
explained in connection with the No. 6 "equipment, but 
which is now the standard for both styles of the E-T 
equipment. If the stop cock in the feed-valve pipe 
branch to the older-style governor top should get acci- 
dentally closed (as it often does), not more than 45 
pounds' pressure can be pumped up in the main reser- 
voir while the automatic brake- valve handle is in Release, 
Running, or Holding Positions ; but in the positions of 
Lap, Service, or Emergency Application, the main- 
reservoir pressure will be pumped up to the maximum 
figure. 

Leaking or Broken Pipes in the No. 5 Equipment. 
With the exception of the two small, copper pipes 
known as the application-chamber pipe, and the double- 
heading pipe, shown in colors in Fig. 48, the results from 

[207] 



No. 5 vs. No. 6 E-T Equipments 

pipe leakage, or breakage, and the remedies therefor, 
are just the same in the No. 5 equipment as already ex- 
plained in reference to the No. 6-equipment piping — 
with one exception: If the brake-pipe branch to 
DISTRIBUTING VALVE in the No. 5 equipment becomes 
broken, it is usually impossible to go right on after sim- 
ply plugging the ruptured pipe, without the locomotive 
brake sticking — brake shoes rubbing the wheels, and a 
distressing blow of air from the main exhaust port of 
the automatic brake-valve; and at the first .light ap- 
plication by either the automatic or independent 
brake-valve, the application-chamber pressure will run 
clear up to 53 pounds and ^'pop'' at the safety valve. 
To avoid this trouble, when the brake-pipe branch gets 
broken, close the cut-out cock in the main-reservoir sup- 
ply pipe to distributing valve, and proceed (after plug- 
ging the broken pipe), without the use of the locomo- 
tive brake in any kind of application whatever. 

If the Application-Chamber Pipe {orange-colored, 
see Fig. 48) starts leaking at any point between the 
distributing valve and the independent brake-valve, 
the locomotive brake will not hold — probably not set 
at all — as the result of any brake-pipe pressure reduc- 
tion; if the leak is not too bad, an application by the 
independent brake-valve will cause the locomotive 
brake to hold as long as it remains in the Quick- Appli- 
cation Position, but the brake will release as soon as 
[208] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the brake valve is lapped. Leakage only from the sec- 
tion of this pipe connecting the independent and 
automatic brake-valves will have no effect whatever 
upon an application by the independent brake-valve, 
but the locomotive brake will not apply from any reduc- 
tion of brake-pipe pressure, unless the independent 
brake-valve handle be placed in Lap Position before the 
automatic application is made. If either section of this 
pipe is broken off, the effect will be the same as severe 
leakage. 

Find the point of leakage from tests as suggested 
above. The temporary, road remedies are: If the 
distributing-valve section of this pipe is ruptured (be 
sure in cases of leakage from these small, copper pipes 
that it is not simply due to loose pipe-union nuts that 
can be quickly tightened, and the leakage stopped), 
plug the pipe toward the distributing valve, and dis- 
connect a union in the double-heading pipe — preferably 
at a point in the cab ; you will then have no use whatever 
of the independent brake-valve, but the locomotive 
brake will apply as usual from service or emergency 
reductions of brake-pipe pressure; the holding effect on 
the locomotive brake in Release and Holding Positions 
of the automatic brake-valve is lost, however, and this 
should be borne in mind when making all appUcations 
while running. If the automatic brake-valve section 
of this pipe is leaking or broken, keep going on: and, 

[ 209 ] 



Broken Pipes, No. 5 Equipment 

if you can't stop the leak, just before making an auto- 
matic application place the independent brake-valve 
handle in Lap Position, and the locomotive brake will 
operate, and hold, as usual ; when the automatic brake- 
valve handle has been returned to Running Position 
(and not before), return the handle of the independent 
brake-valve to Running Position, and the locomotive 
brake will release. 

If the Double-Heading Pipe (blue-colored, see Fig. 
48) develops a leak, or breaks between the distributing 
valve and double-heading cock, the only effect is that 
it will be noticed that the locomotive brake will release 
in the Release and Holding Positions of the automatic 
brake-valve; all that is necessary to do in this case — if 
it is the leading engine, from which the train brakes are 
operated — is to plug the pipe toward the distributing 
valve, and no difference from normal brake operation 
will be experienced. With this section of pipe broken 
on one of the ^^ cut-out ^^ engines in double- or triple- 
heading, just pay no attention to it, for at this time that 
pipe has an atmospheric terminus anyhow; the only 
difference is that this engineer could not retain his 
locomotive brake in case of a train-brake release while 
running, made from the leB^ding engine, except by 
placing his independent brake- valve in Quick Applica- 
tion Position. 

If the section of this pipe between the double-heading 
[210] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

cock and automatic brake-valve is broken or leaking, 
it will have absolutely no effect on the engine from which 
the train braking is being done; but on all ''cut-out " en- 
gines that may be in the train the result will be just the 
same as already explained in reference to the main 
section of this pipe connecting with the distributing 
valve. 



[211] 



Examination Questions and Answers 



Examination Questions and Answers 

ON THE 

E-T Locomotive-Brake Equipment 

No. 5 and No. 6 



Q. I. — What differences are there in handle posi- 
tions, and general operation, between the Engineer's 
Brake-Valves — Automatic, and Independent, — of the 
No. 5 and No. 6 styles, E-T locomotive-brake equip- 
ment? 

A. — No difference ordinarily. On secondary en- 
gines in double heading, there is a difference in the 
positions in which the different automatic brake-valve 
handles should be carried. 

Q. 2. — Name the Positions of the Handle of the 
Automatic Brake- Valve used in the E-T equipment. 

A. — Beginning with the leftward, the positions are 
Release, Running, Holding, Lap, Service-Application, 
and Emergency-Application. 

Q. 3. — What is the effect of the Release Position? 

A. — In Release Position, main-reservoir pressure 

flows directly to the brake pipe, and, after an apphcation, 
[212] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

releases the train brakes, but the locomotive brakes 
remain applied. It does not affect the normal action 
of the pump governor. The warning port blows. 

Q. 4. — What changes occur when the handle is 
moved to Running Position? 

A. — The locomotive brake releases. The direct flow 
of main-reservoir pressure to the brake pipe is stopped; 
but its air, reduced by the feed valve to 70 pounds, is 
then supplied to the brake pipe, to the pressure cham- 
ber of the distributing valve, and the auxiliary reser- 
voirs of the cars in the train. The pump governor 
remains unaffected. 

Q. 5. — If the brake- valve handle had been brought 
from Release Position to Holding Position at once, 
what would have been the effect ? 

A. — The effect would have been the same as in Run- 
ning Position, except that in Holding Position the loco- 
motive brake would not release. 

Q. 6. — After an automatic application of the brakes 
on the locomotive and cars of a short train, if the brake- 
valve handle is placed in Running Position, what will 
result ? If placed in Holding Position ? 

A. — If the handle is placed in Running Position, the 
brakes on locomotive and cars will release; if in Hold- 
ing Position, the car brakes only will release. In neither 
case will more than 70 pounds pressure flow into the 
brake pipe. 

[213] 



Handle Positions, Automatic Brake- Valve 

Q. 7. — What are the maximum main-reservoir and 
brake-pipe pressures possible in the first three brake- 
valve-handle positions just referred to, as commonly 
used? 

A. — If the brake-valve handle had been left in Re- 
lease Position long enough, main-reservoir and brake- 
pipe pressures would have equalized at 90 pounds; in 
Running and Holding Positions, main-reservoir pres- 
sure 90 pounds, and brake-pipe pressure 70 pounds. 

Q. 8. — What results when the handle is placed in 
the Lap Position ? 

A. — All supply of air pressure to the brake pipe is cut 
off. The (90-pound) excess-pressure head of the pump 
governor is cut out of service, and the main-reservoir 
pressure will be increased to no pounds. This con- 
dition of pump-governor action, and pressure of main- 
reservoir air, is maintained, also, in both application 
positions. 

Q. 9. — What is the effect when the brake- valve 
handle is placed in the Service-Application Position ? 

A. — Brake-pipe pressure is reduced : rapidly enough 
to cause the brakes of the locomotive and a train of 
any length to apply with service action, but not fast 
enough to cause quick action of any of the triple valves; 
the number of pounds-pressure reduction being indi- 
cated by the black hand on the large duplex gauge 
that registers '^equalizing-reservoir pressure^ ^ ; after 
[214] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

the gauge has shown the desired amount of reduc- 
tion, the handle should be returned to Lap Position. 

y. 10. — After such a graduated service reduction 
as alluded to, when the handle has been returned to 
Lap Position, will the discharge of brake-pipe pres- 
sure cease at once? 

A. — Xot necessarily. With a brake-pipe air volume 
no greater than that of the locomotive and one or two 
cars, the pressure discharge will cease as soon as the 
brake- valve handle is brought to the Lap Position ; with 
more than that number of cars, the discharge of brake- 
pipe pressure will continue for a time after the brake 
valve has been lapped — the longer the train line, the 
longer will be the duration of the pressure discharge. 

Q. II. — What results when the brake-valve handle is 
placed quickly in the Emergency- Application Position ? 

A. — In the Emergency-Application Position the 
brake-pipe air is heavily discharged and its pressure 
quickly reduced, through a large port in the rotary 
valve, resulting in the almost instantaneous appHca- 
tion of every cut-in brake in the train, the triple 
valves operating with quick action. 

Q. 12. — What differences are there as between the 
Air Gauges of No. 5 and No. 6 E-T Locomotive- Brake 
Equipments ? 

A. — There are 2 air gauges in all styles of the E-T 
equipment; the larger is always a duplex gauge, 

[215] 



Handle Positions, Independent Brake- Valve 

which shows main-reservoir pressure by the Red Hand, 
and Equalizing-Reservoir Pressure by the Black Hand; 
in the No. 5 equipment, the dial of this gauge reads 
''Red Hand Main-Reservoir Pressure," and ''Black 
Hand Train-Line Pressure"; while the No. 6 gauge 
reads the same as to the Red Hand, but states more 
correctly — "Black Hand Equalizing-Reservoir Pres- 
sure." The smaller gauge is of the single-pointer style 
in the No. 5 equipment, the hand is Black, and indi- 
cates "Locomotive Brake-Cylinder Pressure"; in the 
No. 6 equipment, it is of the duplex style, and the dial is 
changed to read — "Red Hand Brake-Cylinder Pres- 
sure," and "Black Hand Brake-Pipe Pressure." 

Q. 13. — Name the Positions of the Handle of the 
Independent Brake-Valve. 

A. — From the left, the Handle Positions are Release, 
Running, Lap, Slow- Application, and Quick- Application. 

Q. 14. — Why would it be impossible to leave the 
handle of the independent brake-valve in Release, or 
Quick- Application, Positions ? 

A. — Because the return spring within the valve body 
will automatically rotate the rotary valve from Release 
to Running Position, and, in the No. 6 equipment, 
from Quick-Application Position to Slow-Application 
Position. 

Q. 15. — What is the result when the independent 
brake-valve handle is put into the Release Position ? 
[216] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

A. — The locomotive brake will release, after any 
manner of application whatever. In this position of 
the independent brake- valve of the No. 6 equipment, a 
warning port is caused to blow, as a measure of safety 
in case of a broken return-spring, as, if the independent 
brake-valve should remain in Release Position, it would 
be impossible to apply the locomotive brake in any 
manner. 

Q. i6. — What is the effect of the Running Position 
of the independent Brake-Valve Handle ? 

A. — It is the regular carrying position for the brake- 
valve handle, and must not he moved therefrom except 
to apply the independent locomotive brake, or to re- 
lease it when the automatic brake-valve handle is in 
some other than its Running Position. When the 
automatic brake- valve handle is in Running Position, 
and a locomotive-brake application has been made by 
the independent brake-valve, in order to release it it 
is only necessary to place the independent brake- valve 
in Running Position. The locomotive brake can not 
be released by the automatic brake- valve unless the in- 
dependent brake-valve is in Running Position. 

Q. 17. — What is effected in the Lap Position of this 
brake-valve ? 

A. — As in any other brake- valve, all ports in the ro- 
tary valve and rotary- valve seat that are separable, are 

closed; it is the negative position to which the handle 

[217] 



Regulation of Pressures 

is returned after making a graduated, independent 
application. 

Q. i8. — Explain the Slow-Application Position. 

A. — In this position the locomotive brake will be 
applied slowly, as the term indicates, giving the engineer 
the opportunity to graduate the application as finely as 
he desires. After a graduated applicatioUj the handle 
should be returned to the Lap Position, but when it is 
required that the locomotive shall be held for some 
time under the control of the independent brake, leave 
the handle in this position of Slow Application. 

Q. 19. — Explain the Quick- Application Position. 

A. — The action of all parts affected during an in- 
dependent-brake application is no different as between , 
the Slow-Application and Quick-Application Positions, 
except that in the latter position braking pressure is 
supplied to the engine- and tender-brake cylinders 
through a larger port in the rotary valve, giving, as the 
name implies, a quick action of the locomotive brake. 

Q. 20. — What regulates the Brake-Pipe Pressure 
in the E-T equipment? 

A. — The Feed Valve. 

Q. 21. — What regulates the Main-Reservoir Pres- 
sure? 

A. — The Duplex Pump- Governor. 

Q. 22. — What pressure is supplied to the Independ- 
ent Brake- Valve? What regulates it at that figure? 
[218] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Also, what other air-pressure-using device is supplied 
from the same source? 

A. — 45 pounds pressure is supplied to the independ- 
ent brake-valve, by the Reducing Valve, which also 
furnishes the pressure used in the Train Air-Signal 
System. 

Q. 23. — Where does the pressure for the locomotive 
brake cylinders come directly from, at an automatic 
application ? At an independent application ? 

A. — In both cases, from the main reservoir. 

Q. 24. — In each case, what reduces the pressure, and 
regulates the amount? 

A. — At an automatic application, the distributing 
valve, influenced by the amount of brake-pipe-pressure 
reduction; at an independent application, by the in- 
dependent brake-valve, or the reducing valve. 

Q. 25. — If we wish to carry 70 pounds brake-pipe 
pressure, and 90 pounds main-reservoir pressure, 
with brake-valves in Running Position, but after 
pumping up to the limit we have pressures of 60 
pounds and 90 pounds, respectively; is the pump 
governor all right? What changes should be made 
to secure the desired pressures ? 

A. — Although 90 pounds is the pressure desired in 
the main reservoir, the governor is not adjusted cor- 
rectly. The responsible governor top is not expected 

to regulate the main-reservoir pressure at 90 pounds, 

[219] 



Changing to High-Speed Pressures 

but to regulate that pressure at a figure 20 pounds 
higher than that in the brake pipe. As the case stands, 
the regulating spring of the excess-pressure governor 
top should be slackened until the gauge shows 80 
pounds on the Red Hand, as against the 60 pounds on 
the Black Hand; then, slowly turn the hand-wheel on 
the feed valve clockwise, tightening the regulating 
spring, and both gauge hands will rise equidistantly 
until they stand as desired at 70 pounds brake-pipe, and 
90 pounds main-reservoir, pressures. 

Q. 26. — With these pressures secured, suppose that 
you should have to operate a High-Speed-Braked 
passenger train, what changes would you be re- 
quired to make in the air-brake equipment? 

A. — To change the E-T equipment from the com- 
mon ^'70-pound brake'' to the High-Speed Brake, is a 
very simple matter, indeed. When such change may 
be anticipated, the high-pressure governor top should be 
permanently adjusted at a figure some higher than 130 
pounds — say 140 pounds; also, the high-pressure stop 
on the feed valve should be already adjusted and tightly 
clamped in the proper position. To make the change 
it is only necessary to revolve the wheel handle of the 
feed valve clockwise until the pin on the wheel strikes the 
stop situated diametrically opposite the 70-pound stop; 
brake-pipe and main-reservoir pressures will be equally 
and automatically advanced by this simple act, to no 
[ 220 ] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

pounds and 130 pounds, respectively, and so main- 
tained while the automatic brake-valve is in Running 
Position; but when the handle is moved to Lap, or 
either of the Application Positions, main-reservoir 
pressure will be increased to 140 pounds, as a measure 
toward prompt train-brake release. 

Q. 27. — If the brake-cylinder Piston Travel be- 
comes excessively long, on the locomotive or tender, 
will the force on the piston be reduced thereby, as it is 
in the ordinary automatic brake ? 

A. — No; the air pressure per square inch on the pis- 
tons will not be affected by variations of the piston 
travel, and the holding power will be the same for any 
given degree of application, so long as the piston does 
not strike the non-pressure (back) head of the brake 
cylinder; and the pressures per square inch will be 
equal in the cylinders of the driver, tender, and truck 
brake. With too long piston-travel, the brake will be 
tardy in completely releasing, however. 

Q. 28. — What will be the effect of Leakage of 
Locomotive Brake-Cylinder Pressure? 

A. — An amount of brake-cylinder-pressure leakage 
that could render the ordinary automatic brake abso- 
lutely ineffective will not at all weaken the holding power 
of the E-T brake, for in the latter this pressure is main- 
tained — insured against leakage, or the loss of pres- 
sure from leakage. 

[221] 



Possible leakage of Braking Pressure 

Q. 29. — To preserve this feature of locomotive 
braking-pressure maintenance, is it not essential that 
certain other parts of the locomotive air-brake equip- 
ment shall be absolutely free from leakage to the at- 
mosphere ? 

A. — Yes; the two little copper pipes that connect to 
the left side of the distributing valve must be perfectly 
free from leakage clear to their further terminals; 
also the head of the upper portion of the distribu- 
ting valve (application-piston cylinder cover) must be 
tight. 

Q. 30. — If, after an application by either brake-valve, 
when a release is attempted the locomotive brake-cylin- 
der pressure will be exhausted until only a few pounds 
remains when its escape ceases, and the brake remains 
lightly " stuck " — this at a release by either brake 
valve — and the only way found to completely release 
it is to move the independent brake-valve handle to 
the full Application Position for a second, and then 
throw it quickly to Release Position, — what could be 
the cause of the trouble ? 

A. — The packing of Application Piston 10, in the 
upper portion of the distributing valve, is in bad con- 
dition and the Application and Exhaust Slide Valves 
lack lubrication, and are gummy. Experience has 
proven that the maintenance of proper condition of this 
piston is at once the most important feature, and the 
[ 222 ] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

hardest thing to secure, of anything relative to the dis- 
tributing valve. 

Q. 31. — Where is the Double-Heading Cock, and 
in what way does it differ, constructively, as between 
the No. 5 and No. 6 equipments ? 

A. — The double-heading cock is placed in the auto- 
matic brake- valve branch of the brake pipe, and is lo- 
cated directly beneath the brake-valve. In the No. 5 
equipment it is double ported, one port through it con- 
veying brake-pipe pressure, and at an angle of 90 de- 
grees to it is the port to connect with the double-head- 
ing pipe when the cock is in the ^'closed" position — 
turned 90 degrees, and closed to brake-pipe pressure. 
In the No. 6 equipment there is no ^^double-heading 
pipe," and the Double-Heading Cock is a common, 
i-inch cut-out cock. 

Q. 32. — In case of Double Heading, if the engineer 
of the leading engine operates the train and locomo- 
tive brakes, what shall he do specially under the 
circumstances if his engine has E-T equipment? 

A. — He shall make no changes in the equipment in 
any way, and shall operate the brakes just the same as 
if there was no other engine in the train. 

Q. 33. — Under the same circumstances what should 
the engineer of the following engine do, if he has the 
E-T equipment? 

A. — He shall permit his air pump to run as usual; 

[ 223 ] 



Double Heading 

shall close the double-heading cock. If he has the No. 
5 equipment, he shall place his automatic brake-valve 
handle on Lap, as the regular carrying position for it 
under the circumstances. With the No. 6 equipment, 
the double-heading cock must be closed, but the au- 
tomatic brake-valve handle should be left in the Run- 
ning Position. 

Q. 34. — Suppose the air pump on the second engine 
should be broken down; or a " dead " engine is being 
towed; in either case, with E-T equipment, would the 
locomotive brake on such engine be operative ? 

A. Not unless that locomotive was equipped with 
the parts supplementary to the regular E-T equip- 
ment called the ''Dead-Engine Feature." 

Q. 35. — Explain the Dead-Engine Feature, and the 
principle of its use. 

A. — It comprises a branch pipe connecting the main 

brake pipe, or train line, with a conveniently located 

pipe containing main-reservoir pressure; this branch 

pipe contains a cut-out cock which is normally closed, 

a small cylinder filled with curled hair that acts as an 

air strainer J a check-valve, and a choke fitting with a 

small hole (about rV-inch diameter) through it which 

limits the flow of air through the device (generally 

termed the " Combined Air Strainer and Check-Valve''). 

When a locomotive whose air pump is inoperative is 

coupled into a train the brakes of which are to be oper- 
[224] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

ated from another engine, the engineman on the ^^dead" 
locomotive (in addition to closing the double-heading 
cock and placing his automatic brake-valve handle as 
prescribed in answer to question 33) should open the cut- 
out cock in his dead-engine feature; this will charge his 
main reservoir to a pressure nearly equal to that of the 
brake pipe, and higher than is really necessary. The 
check- valve prevents back flow of main-reservoir pres- 
sure to the brake pipe when the operating engineer 
makes an automatic application, and the choke fitting 
limits the drain from the brake pipe to about the time 
flow through the feed groove of a triple valve in charg- 
ing an auxiliary reservoir. The brakes of the "dead" 
engine will then be automatically operative, and its in- 
dependent brake could be applied, if necessary. 

Q. 36. — Is the same set of fixtures comprised in the 
dead-engine feature used in another connection, in 
the E-T locomotive equipment ? 

A. — Yes; if the Train Air Signal is used, the West- 
inghouse furnishings for the dead-engine feature are 
used to connect the Reducing- Valve Pipe (of 45 pounds 
pressure) with the main Signal Pipe. 

Q. 37. — What differences, if any, are found in the 

Combined Air Strainer and Check- Valve as between its 

use in the Signal Line, and as the Dead-Engine 

Feature? 

A, — In connection with the Signal Line, a light spring 

[225] 



Inspection of E-T-equipment 

is used over the check-valve, while in the Dead-Engine 
Feature the check-valve spring is much stiffer. 

Q. 38. — At what Pressure should the Safety Valve 
be adjusted ? 

A. — The safety valve on the No. 5 equipment dis- 
tributing-valve should be adjusted at 53 pounds; on 
the No. 6 distributing valve, it should be set at 68 
pounds. 

Q. 39. — When it is desired to inspect one of the 
brake-valves, to remove the feed valve, reducing valve, 
or distributing valve, or to make any other discon- 
nection of parts in the E-T equipment, will it be neces- 
sary to shut down the air pump and blow off the main- 
reservoir pressure? 

A. — No. This would only be necessary in case the 
high-pressure governor top, or the air pipe leading to it, 
had to be disconnected. Before making any disconnec- 
tion in all other parts of the E-T equipment, place the 
automatic brake-valve handle in Release Position and 
close the Main-Reservoir Cut-out Cock; this is a sort 
of 3 -way cock, and, in addition to cutting off the supply 
of main-reservoir pressure from the general equipment, 
the latter is drained of pressure through a small port in 
the cock. The direct air-passageway through the auto- 
matic brake-valve, made by placing the handle in Re- 
lease Position, is to prevent the Hfting of its rotary valve 

and of the slide valve in the feed valve, with the chances 

[226] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

of dirt lodging on the seats of those valves when the air 
current is reversed in direction of flow. 

Q. 40. — What is the upper portion of the Distributing 
Valve called ? What is its duty ? 

A. — The upper portion of the valve section of the dis- 
tributing valve is called the Application Portion; its 
contained mechanism is given the duty of supplying 
main-reservoir air to the locomotive brake-cylinders at 
automatic and independent applications; and of dis- 
charging the brake-cylinder pressure, at automatic or 
independent release. 

Q. 41. — What is the lower portion of the distribu- 
ting valve called? And what is its duty? 

A. — The lower portion of the valve section of the 
distributing valve is called the Equalizing Portion; its 
contained mechanism acts only in response to reduc- 
tions and recharges of brake-pipe pressure; resembling 
a triple valve in its operation, its duty is to actuate the 
upper, or Application, mechanism when an automatic 
application or release is initiated; to graduate the power 
of automatic applications. 

Q. 42. — What is the reservoir section of the distrib- 
uting valve called? And what duty does it perform? 

A. — It is called the Double-Chamber Reservoir, be- 
ing separated by an internal, air-tight dividing wall into 
two compartments — one large one, and a much smaller 

one; the larger compartment is termed the Pressure 

[227] 



Quick- Action Cylinder Cap 

Chamber, and the smaller one the Application Cham- 
ber. Together they represent the auxiliary reservoir 
and (dummy) brake cylinder as associate parts of the 
lower, or triple valve, portion of the valve section. 

Q. 43. — What apparent difference is there between 
the Distributing Valves of the No. 5 and the No. 6 E-T 
equipments ? 

A. — In the head of the lower portion of the No. 6 
distributing valve, there is an Equalizing-Piston Gradu- 
ating Spring; while the No. 5 distributing valve con- 
tains no such Graduating Spring. 

Q. 44. — What is the " Quick- Action Cylinder Cap," 
used in connection with the E-T equipment? — Explain 
its duty, and can it be used with either style of the 
E-T equipment? 

A. — The Quick-Action Cylinder Cap is a special 
head for the lower, or equalizing, portion of the No. 
6 distributing valve, only; and only furnished when 
specifically ordered. Its duty is to discharge a portion 
of the brake-pipe air when an automatic emergency- 
application is made ; this air discharged from the brake 
pipe flashes into the locomotive brake cylinders before 
the upper, or application, mechanism has had time to 
open the brake-cylinder supply from the main reservoir. 

Q. 45. — Does this effect the increase of locomotive 
brake-cylinder pressure at an emergency application, 

that is noticed on the gauge ? 

[228] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

A. — No. The brake-cyhnder pressure is governed 
by the distributing valve, no matter what its source of 
supply; it is greater at an emergency application than 
at a full service appHcation, but the increase is due to 
the reduced expansion of pressure-chamber air at an 
emergency application. 

Q. 46. — How should the brakes of a passenger train 
be operated in making regular Station Stops, with the 
E-T equipment on the locomotive ? 

A. — By the Two- Application method. This consists 
in making two separate service-applications: the first, 
quite heavy, and the second, Hght. After the speed of 
the train has been heavily reduced by tlie first applica- 
tion, the train- and locomotive-brakes should be re- 
leased by placing the automatic brake- valve handle in 
Running Position; the second application should be 
released just before the wheels stop turning, by placing 
the brake-valve handle in Release, and then Holding 
Position ; and if the track is not level, the handle may 
be left in the latter position until the signal to start is 
received: otherwise, return the handle to Running 
Position, as soon as the train is stopped. 

Q. 47. — How should the brakes on a very long pas- 
senger train be operated ? 

A. — The brakes on a very long passenger train should 
be operated about the same as is recommended for 
freight-train braking, the amount of draft-gear slack 

[229] 



Science of Making Stops 

and the long train-line, or brake piping, making the 
conditions and requirements nearly the same. 

Q. 48. — How should the brakes of a freight train be 
operated, with E-T equipment on the locomotive ? 

A. — Where a stop is intended, hold the train- and 
locomotive-brakes on until the wheels stop turning. 
Make the initial reduction of brake-pipe pressure as 
heavy as the stopping distance, speed, and gradient will 
permit. If a slowdown, only, is made, release the train 
brakes by placing the automatic brake-valve handle in 
Release Position, afterward moving the handle to Hold- 
ing Position ; before returning it to its regular carrying 
position, give the handle a second push into Release 
Position, leaving it there but 2 or 3 seconds, and re- 
turn to Running Position. Always use the Release 
Position to release the train brakes. 

Q. 49. — What particular instructions should be 
remembered and always be observed, concerning the 
Independent Brake-Valve ? 

A. — When using the independent brake to hold the 
locomotive while standing on the turntable, at a water 
column, coal chute, etc., do not return the independent 
brake-valve handle to the Lap Position but leave it in 
Slow-Application Position. Be exceedingly cautious 
in applying the independent brake while running, when 
the locomotive is attached to a long freight train, as it 
can cause the slack to run in with a tremendous shock- 
[ 230 ] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Ing effect. With a passenger train, do not apply and 
release the independent locomotive brake while the en- 
gine is using steam, just to ^^ steady the train '' while 
rounding curves at a good rate of speed. With any 
kind of train and under all circumstances while run- 
ning at any rate of speed, use the independent brake- 
valve only when actually necessary, and then with the 
exercise of the best of judgment. Use it altogether in 
operating the locomotive brake when detached from a 
train. 

Q. 50. — What style of Hose and Couplings are used 
in the Brake-Cylinder Pressure line between the en- 
gine and tender, in the E-T equipment ? 

A. — One pair of Signal Hose, complete (i-inch hose, 
with f-inch nipples, and signal couplings). 

Q. 51. — If the main Brake Pipe (train line) should 
break oflf under the tender, how could the train brakes 
be operated? 

A. — By using the signal pipe to convey the brake- 
pipe air past the tender. Cross-couple the brake hose 
from engine with signal hose of tender, and signal hose 
from the rear of tender with brake hose on head end of 
first car; open all cocks in the made-up line, and close 
the cut-out cock in the signal line on the engine. Make 
the cross-connections between the brake and signal 
hose-couplings with a ''combination hose,^^ or, if none 
such are carried, by forcing the different styles of hose- 

[231] 



Breakage of Pipes 

couplings together. In the latter case, after finishing the 
trip new hose should be applied, as forcing them to- 
gether damages the couplings for regular service. 

Q. 52. — After making this arrangement for getting 
around the burst brake-pipe under the tender, could 
the air signal then be used? 

A. — No; it would then be inoperative from the cars. 

Q. 53. — If the pilot branch of Brake Pipe is found 
broken when coupling to a train in front of engine, how 
then can it be arranged to operate the brakes of the 
train ? 

A. — First, couple the brake hose and signal hose to- 
gether at rear of the tender; then couple the signal hose 
at pilot with the brake hose of the adjoining car; open 
all cocks in the made-up line, and close the supply 
cut-out cock in the signal line on engine. 

Q. 54. — If the Equalizing-Reservoir Pipe breaks off, 
how should you remedy matters? 

A. — Plug the broken pipe; also plug the service-ex- 
haust fitting in the bottom of the automatic brake- 
valve; proceed, making service reductions by moving 
the automatic brake-valve handle, carefully, a short 
distance into the Emergency-Application Position. 

Q. 55. — If the Main-Reservoir Supply Pipe to Dis- 
tributing Valve becomes ruptured, what are the in- 
structions in such cases ? 

A. — Plug the broken pipe toward the main-reservoir 
[232] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

pressure, or, if there is a cut-out cock in the piece of 
the broken pipe toward the main reservoir, close it; 
then proceed. Brakes on the train are then operative 
as usual, but not on the locomotive, by either an in- 
dependent or automatic application. 

Q. 56.— If the Brake-Pipe Branch to Distributing 
Valve is broken, what should be done ? 

A.— With the No. 5 equipment, plug the broken pipe 
toward the brake pipe, and also close the cut-out cock 
in the main-reservoir supply pipe to distributing valve, 
if there is one; in some of the older equipments of this 
style of brake there is no such cut-out cock, and in that 
case place a blind gasket in a union in the pipe, and 
proceed, but without the use of the locomotive brake. 
With the No. 6 equipment, plug the broken pipe, and 
go right along. In the latter case, while the locomotive 
brake will not respond to automatic brake-pipe reduc- 
tions, it can be applied by the independent brake-valve, 
but which must be placed in the Release Position in 
order to release it. 

Q. 57-— If the Brake-Cylinder Pipe gets broken off, 
what should you do ? 

A.— If the pipe is broken between the distributing 
valve and brake-cylinder cut-out cocks, close the cut° 
out cock in the main-reservoir supply pipe to distribu- 
ting valve, or, in its absence, use a blind gasket in a 
union. Proceed, without the use of the locomotive 

[233] 



Remedying Broken Pipes 

brake. If a section of this pipe line gets broken between 
a brake cylinder and its individual cut-out cock, just 
close that brake-cylinder cut-out cock, and go on, with 
only the loss of that one portion of the locomotive brake. 

Q. 58. — If the Feed- Valve Pipe Branch to Excess- 
Pressure Governor Top should get broken off, how 
would you overcome the effect on the pump governor ? 

A. — Plug the broken pipe toward the feed- valve pipe, 
and place a blind gasket in a union in the pipe from 
automatic brake- valve to excess-pressure governor top. 
Proceed, with pump under permanent control of the 
high-pressure governor top. 

Q. 59. — Suppose that the Main-Reservoir-Pressure 
Pipe from the Automatic Brake-Valve to the Excess- 
Pressure Governor Top breaks, en route, how would 
you get around this trouble ? 

A. — Plug the broken pipe toward the brake-valve, 
and proceed, with air pump under permanent control 
of the high-pressure governor top. 

Q. 60. — Suppose that the direct Main-Reservoir- 
Air Pipe to High-Pressure Governor Top should be the 
broken one : What are the instructions in such case ? 

A. — Plug the broken pipe toward the main reservoir, 
and go on. Whenever an application is made by the 
automatic brake-valve, watch the main-reservoir-pres- 
sure gauge hand, and if it begins to rise too high, 
throttle the steam supply to the air pump. 
[234] 



The E-T Air-Brake Pocket-Book 

Q. 6 1. — If the Reducing- Valve Pipe breaks, what 
should be done in the way of preventing it being the 
cause of other trouble, as well as stopping the escape 
of reducing- valve pressure ? 

A. — First, to stop the waste of air, slacken the pres- 
sure-adjusting nut of the reducing valve until no more 
air will feed from it ; then, plug the broken pipe toward 
the independent brake-valve, and plug the exhaust port 
in the bottom of the independent brake-valve. Proceed, 
with the automatic brake operative as usual on the loco- 
motive and train, but without the train air signal and 
independent locomotive brake. 

Q. 62. — In the No. 5 equipment, suppose that the 
Double-Heading Pipe should get broken between the 
double-heading cock and the distributing valve : How 
would you remedy this case ? 

A. — The remedy is simply to plug the broken pipe 
toward the distributing valve; then go on. Everything 
will operate as usual. 

Q. 63. — If, in the No. 5 equipment, the Application- 
Chamber Pipe should get broken, what should be done ? 

A. — Plug the pipe toward the distributing valve, and 
disconnect the double-heading pipe somewhere be- 
tween the double-heading cock and distributing valve. 
The locomotive- and train-brakes can then be ap- 
plied by the automatic brake-valve as usual, but the 
ordinary retaining feature of the locomotive brake in 

[235] 



Broken Pipes, Nos. 5 and 6 Equipments 

Release and Holding Positions of the automatic brake- 
valve will be lost. The independent brake-valve will be 
inoperative, and should be left unused in the Running 
Position. 

Q. 64. — In the No. 6 equipment, how would you 
overcome the effect of a broken Application-Cylinder 
Pipe? 

A. — Plug the broken pipe toward the distributing 
valve, and proceed. The locomotive- and train-brakes 
can then be operated as usual by the automatic brake- 
valve, but the independent brake-valve will be out of 
service, completely. 

Q. 65. — In the No. 6 equipment, suppose the Dis- 
tributing-Valve Release Pipe should get broken oflf: 
what are the instructions? 

A. — Keep going; but without the retaining, or hold- 
ing, effect on the locomotive brake when the auto- 
matic brake-valve is placed in Release or Holding 
Positions. The locomotive brake can be applied by 
the independent brake-valve, but will release if that 
brake-valve is returned to the Lap Position. 



[236] 



INDEX 



Air brake, the automatic, 32. 

the quick-action, 89. 

the straight-air, 32. 
Air-brake work, reporting, 180. 
Air pump, the, 20. 

stops working, 179, 224. 
AppHcation-chamber pipe, the, 197. 

breakage of, 208. 
AppHcation-cylinder pipe, the, 2^, 

leakage from the, 187, 236. 
Arrangement of apparatus, pipe connections, and general route of 

pressures, 24. 
Automatic brake -valve, the H-6, 102. 

emergency position, effect of the, 107, 132, 215, 228. 

holding position, effect of the, 104, 125, 214. 

lap position, effect of the, 106, 127, 214. 

release position, effect of the, 102, 120, 212, 214. 

running position, effect of the, 103, 123, 213. 

service position, effect of the, 106, 131, 214. 
Auxiliary reservoir, the, 33. 



B 



Bleed brakes, to, 43. 
Brake-cylinder, the, 33. 
Brake-cylinder pipe, the, 23. 

leakage from, 186, 233. 
Brake-cylinder pressure, 219. 

leakage of the, 221. 
Brake pipe, the, 22, 35, 184. 



I237] 



Index 

Brake pipe, and signal pipe, blowing out the, 174. 

branch of, to distributing valve, 186, 233- 

broken off, 231, 232. 

pilot section of, when broken, 190. 

testing for leakage of, 193. 
Brakes sticking, on locomotive, 222. 
Brake-valve, automatic, the H-5, 200. 
Brake-valve, independent, the, S-F (No. 5), 205, 
Brake-valve, the H-6 automatic, 20. 

chamber D of, 112. 

connections of, 25, 30, 102. 

general explanation of, 107, 116. 

handle positions of, 102, 114, 212. 

rotary valve, explanation of transparency, 1190 

rotary valve of the, 119. 

views of the, 119. 
Brake-valve, the S-6 independent, 20, 135, 177, 178, 230. 

connections of, 26. 

general explanation of, 140. 

handle positions of, 136, 216. 

names of parts of, 139. 

rotary valve of, 140. 

explanation of the transparency views of, 14I0 

testing the, 174. 

C 

Combination hose, use of, 190. 

Combined air strainer and check-valve, 26, 169. 

as signal-line connection, 171, 225. 

as the dead-engine feature, 169, 206, 224, 

general description of, 170. 
Connecting pipe, the, 22. 
Continuous train brakes, the first, 32. 
Cut-out cocks, the brake cylinder, 28, 187. 
choke fittings in, 187. 

the double -heading, 223. 

the main -reservoir, 24, 184, 226. 
Cutting-out brakes, 183, 184. 

[238] 



Index 
D 

Diagrammatic charts of the No. 6 E-T equipment, explanation of, 
the, 59- 

in automatic-release position, 77. 

in automatic service-application position, 66. 

in emergency-application position, 72. 

in emergency-lap position, 76. 

in independent-lap position, 8^. 

in independent locomotive-brake-application position, 81. 

in independent locomotive-brake release after automatic applica- 
tion, 85. 

in independent release, Sy. 

in running position, 59. 

in service-lap position, 69, 
Discharge pipe, the, 22. 
Distributing valve, the No. 6, 20, 49, 227. 

operating parts, names of, 54. 

rudiments of, 45. 

with quick-action cylinder cap, 89, 228. 
in release position, 91. 
emergency position, 93. 

difference between the No. 5 and No. 6, 205. 
Distributing- valve release pipe, the, 23, 188, 236. 
Distributing-valve supply pipe, if broken, 232. 
Double -heading pipe, the, 197, 210. 

breakage of, 235. 
Duplex air gauges, the two, 20, 28. 

legends on face of, 113. 
Duplex pump governor, the, 20, 218. 

adjustment of, 167, 173. 

benefits of the use of, 166. 

description of, 162, 164. 

operation of, 165. 

pipe connections of, 164. 

"S-F4'' type, 161. 

used in No. 5 equipment, 206. 

[239] 



Index 

£ 

Equalizing -DISCHARGE valve, the, 32, iii. 

operation of, 112. 
Equalizing reservoir pipe, the, 185, 232. 

Examination questions on the E-T equipment, Nos. 5 and 6, 212 
Excess-pressure governor, the, 22, 188. 

F 

Feed valve, the B-6, 20, 150, 218. 

its crossed-passage pipe bracket, 152. 

its differently attached positions, 150. 

its operation, 154. 

parts of, 153. 

its regulation, 153. 
Feed-valve pipe, the, 22, 24, 157. 
Feed-valve pipe branch to excess-pressure governor top, breakage of 

the, 188, 234. 
Fittings, incidental to the piping, 21. 

G 

Gasket, distributing valve, leakage of the, 182. 
General operation of the train and locomotive brakes, 173, 
before leaving vicinity of roundhouse, 173. 
on the road, double heading, 178, 205, 210, 223. 
freight service, 174, 230. 
general service, 176. 
heavy-grade service, 178. 
passenger service, 175, 229. 

H 

High-speed brake pressure, changing to the, 220. 

I 

Independent brake-valve, the S-6, 

lap position, effect of the, 146, 217. 
quick-application position, effect of the, 149, 2180 
release position, effect of the, 141, 216. 
[ 240 ] 



Index 

Independent brake valve, running position, effect of the, 143, 217. 

slow-application position, effect of the, 147, 218. 
Introductory explanation, 17. 

L 

Leaving the engine, before, 177. 

M 

Maintaining pressure, the, 133, 204. 
Main reservoir, the, 20. 
Main-reservoir pipe, the, 22, 24, 186. 

Main-reservoir pressure pipe to excess-pressure governor top, break- 
age of the, 234. 
to high-pressure governor top, direct, breakage of the, 189, 234. 

N 

No. 5 E-T locomotive-brake equipment, the, 196. 
correct names of parts of, 197. 
general construction of, 196. 

general operation of, as differing from the" No. 6, 205. 
handle positions of engineer's brake-valves of, 199, 212^ 
leaking or broken pipes of, 207. 
piping of, 196. 



On arrival at roundhouse, at finish of trip, 180, 

P 

Passenger -train stops, the two-application method of, 175. 
Pipes, broken or leaking, 184. 
Piping, when erecting the, 182. 
Piston travel, adjusting the, 181. 

of the driver and tender brakes, 181, 221, 

Q 

Quick-action distributing valve, the, 89. 

R 

Reducing valve, the C-6, 20, 159, 174, 218. 

[ 241 ] 



Index 

Reducing valve, the C-6, pipe bracket of the, i6o„ 
Reducing-valve pipe, the, 22, 24, 26, 189, 235. 
Release valve, the, 43. 
Releasing the train brakes, while running, 179. 

S 

Safety valve, the, E-6, 96. 

adjustment of, 99, 226. 

care and attention of, 100. 
Signal hose, use of, in brake-cylinder pipe line, 183, 231. 

T 

Testing the E-T brake equipment, 173, 191. 

for leaks, in the No. 6, 181. 
Train air signal, the, 219. 
Train parting, in case of, 177. 
Triple valve, the automatic, 32, ;^^j 36. 

the quick-action, 89. 

the quick-service, 86. 



[242] 



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A NEW E-T AIR BRAKE BOOK 

^ilamn,8j,«Hy^ty colored pl.les .nd diagrams, each printed in from si. 1. twelve eolor. 






WESTINGHOUSE E-T AIR BRAKE 
INSTRUCTION POCKET BOOK 

No. 5 and No. 6 
By WM. W. WOOD, Air Brake Instructor 

FULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH COLORED PLATES 

PRICE $2.00 

HERE is a book for the railroad man, and the man who aims to be one. It is without doubt the 
6nly complete work published on the Westinghouse E-T Locomotive Brake Equipment. 
Written by an Air Brake Instructor who knows just what is needed. It covers the subject 
thoroughly. Everything about the New Westinghouse Engine and Tender Brake Equipment, in- 
cluding the .Standard No. 5 and the Perfected No. 6 Style of brake, is treated in detail. Written in 
plain English and profusely illustrated with Colored Plates, which enable one to trace the flow of 
pressures throughout the entire equipment. The best book ever published on the Air Brake. Equally 
good for the beginner and the advanced engineer. Will pass any one through any examination. It 
informs and enlightens you on every point. Indispensable to every engineman and trainman. 

Contains examination questions and answers on the E-T equipment. Covering what the 
E-T Brake IS. How it should be OPERATED. What to do when DEFECTIVE. Not a ques- 
tion can be asked of the ENGINEMAN UP FOR PROMOTION on either the NO. 5 or the 
NO. 6 E-T equipment that is not asked and ANSWERED In the book. If you want to thor- 
oughly understand the E-T equipment get a copy of this book. It covers every detail. Makes 
Air Brake troubles and exeuninations easy. 

AMONG THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK ARE: 



The No. 6 E-T Equipment — the Valve — the Piping — the Gauges. The theory of the Triple 
Valve, and its Principle in ADplication to the E-T Locomotive Brake. The Distributing Valve — 
COLORED CHARTS SHOWING EACH AND EVERY PHASE OF ITS ACTION, ACCOM- 
PANIED BY COLORED PIPING DIAGRAMS INDICATING THE CONTAINED PRESSURES. 

Theory of the Quick- Action Triple Valves, Its Importance — Its I'rmciple in Application to the Quick 
Action Distributing Valve of the No. 6 type. The E-6 Safety Valve. The H-6 Automatic Brake 
Valve — theory and principle of the automatically acting brake-pipe pressure Equalizing-Discharge 
Valve — Construction of the H 6 Brake Valve — Transparency Plates in Color Tints showing the 
Rotary Valve, AND THROUGH IT the Rotary- Valve Seat, Ports, etc., in each Operative 
Position of the Brake- Valve Handle. The S-6 Independent Brake Valve— Its Construction- 
Transparency Plates similar to those of the H-6 Brake Valve, showing the arrangement of 
Ports in Rotary Valve and Seat in each Position. The Double-Pressure, B-6 Feed Valve. The 
Duplex automatically controlled Excess- and Maximum- Pressure Pump Governor. The C-6 Re- 
ducing Valve. The '• Dead Engine Feature " of the No. 6 E-T Equipment— Combined Air Strainer 
and Check Valve — its application to the Train Air-Signal System. 

Operation of the No. 6 E-T Locomotive Brake— Freight Service — Passenger Service— Switch- 
ing Service— General Braking Service— Grade Work. etc. Reporting Work on the No. 6 Equipment. 
Testing the Equipment. Leaking o^ Broken Pipes of No 6 Equipment. 

The No. 5 E-T Locomotive Brake Equipment — its distinctive features as compared with the 
No 6 Type — Its Operation — Leaking or Broken Pipes in the No. 5 Equipment. 

FILLED WITH COLQRED PLATES SHOWING VARIOUS PRESSURES 

THE NORMAN W. HENLEY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

132 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK, U. S. A. 




RECENTLY PUBLISHED 



THE WALSCHAERT 
LOCOMOTIVE 
VALVE GEAR 



BY 

wm. w. wood 

Air Brake Instructor 



Nearly 200 Pages 
Fully Illustrated 



Price $L50 



The valve gear is the principal, and most vital, of the parts of any engine, and the cumber- 
some and Vinwielcly Stephenson Imk motion that has been iri general use in this country for over 
half a century is rapidly being displaced by the lighter, and more accurate, valve gear of the 
Walschaert type. 

It required years of study and experience for a man to gain merely a fair understanding 
of the principles of the common link motion, and nqw the locomotive engineer, the shop man, and 
the motive power official are being demanded to post themselves on the newly adopted Walschaert 
Valve Gear. 

But it will not take years — nor months — to thoroughly understand the Walschaert valve 
motion if you possess a copy of this book. The author takes the plainest form of a steam engine — 
a stationary engine — in the rough, that will only turn its crank in one direction — and from it 
builds up — with the reader's help — a modern locomotive, equipped with the Walschaert valve gear, 
complete. 

The book is fully illustrated, and a novel and interesting feature of the book is the 
folding diagrams with cardboard valve models, by means of which the actual operation of the 
valve under the influence of the Walschaert motion can be studied. 

THIS BOOK IS COMPOSED OF FOUR GENERAL DIVISIONS 

The First Division explains and analyzes the Walschaert valve gear by a simple, fully illus- 
trated kindergarten method, showing the setting up the gear piece by piece, with the conimou 
philosophy of the action of each individual part. There are no algebraical formulae in this Division 
— just plain talk. 

The Second Division contains diagrams and formulae that will enable any machine shop 
foreman to design and lay out the Walschaert valve gear for any locomotive, with hints on 
inspection of the gear and rules for setting the valves. Here are two diagrams, in particular, on 
folding sheets, that show the position of the valve, link, and all other parts of the gear, when the 
main crank pin is at nine different points in its revolution — both with the outside admission D slide 
v.ilve and the piston valve of inside admission. Separate cardboard models of these two valves to 
be used in connection with the diagrams are contained in a pocket in the book, and these two 
diagrams and valve models, alone, are worth more than the price of the book to any. master 
mechanic, shop foreman, machinist, engineer, or fireman. 

The Third Division has to do with the actual work of the Walschaert valve gear on the 
road, and here are disclosed the advantages obtained from its use and the reasons why it is superior 
to the common double eccentric link motion. 

The Fourth Division could be used as a text book by itself. It is composed entirely of 
Questions and Answers on the Wafschacrt Valve Gear, which form a condensed, btlt complete, 
set of instructions — not only descriptive of the valve gear, etc., but these questions and answers also 
refer to all of the common breakdowns on the road that may happen to a locomotive equipped with 
the Walschaert motion; and this division is representative of the whole book; the matter is so 
plainly written, and complete, that this last division of the work will enable any engineman to pass 
any examination on valve motion, or the Wals4haert Gear. 



UNK MOTIONS, VALVES AND 
VALVE SETTING 

By FRED H. COLVIN, Associate Editor "American Machinist" 
FULLY ILLUSTRATED PRICE 50c 

A HANDY book for the engineer or machinist that clears up the mysteries of valve setting. 
Shows the different valve gears in use, how they work, and why Piston and slide valves of 
different types are illustrated and explained. A book that every railroad man in the motive 
power department ought to have. 

CONTAINS CHAPTERS ON 



Locomotive Link Motion — Direct and Indirect Motion; lap; lead; crossed rods, etc. 

Valve Movements — Twelve charts showing complete movements of valves under various 
conditions of travel ; lap and lead. 

Setting Slide Valve — Fmding dead centers; increasing or decreasing lead ; changing length of 
eccentric rods or blades; moving eccentrics on axle. 

Analysii by Diagrams — Illustrates the various conditions that occur with direct or indirect 
motion ; inside and outside admission and different methods of connecting the link. New facts and 
rules in connection with link motions and valve setting. 

Modern Practice — Shows what is being done in the matter of eccentric rod lengths ; angularity 
of eccentric rods; leads; proportions of travel; eccentric throw; lap; ports; pistoti speed, etc. 

Slip of Block — Illustrates how and why "Slip ' exists and how it is hardly considered in modern 
practice. 

Slide Valves — Shows balanced D Valve, Allen Valve, and Wilson's American Valve. 

Piston Valves — Show eight varieties of piston valves; two styles of valve bushings or cages and 
device for getting water out of cylinder. Gives experience of several roads with piston valves. 

Setting Piston Valves — Plain directions on points differing from slide valves. 

Other Valve Gears— Joy-Allen, Walschaert, Gooch, AUfull-Hubbell, etc. 

TRAIN RULES AND 
TRAIN DISPATCHING 






By H. A. DALBY 

222 Pages Fully Illustrated and Containing Signals in Colors 

Bound in Leather, Pocket Book Form 

PRICE $1.50 



EVERY railroad man, no matter what department he's in, needs a copy of this book It's 
practically a small encyclopedia on getting trains over the road. Has the Standard Code and 
all the signals in colors and the way they are used on different roads. Written by a man who 
understands the subject thoroughly, and endorsed by such men as John F. Mackie, Secretary of the 
Telegraphers' Association, and by railway officials. It is the only practical book on train rules in print. 

SECTIONS CONTAINED IN THE BOOK 



Standard-Time Time Tables. Divisions, Districts, and Terminals. Classes and Rights of 
Trains. Train Orders. Forms of Train Orders. Extras. Work Trains. Change of Time Table. 
Train Order Signals. Train Registers. Clearance Cards. Identification of Trains. Double I'rack. 
Words to Operators. The Dispatcher, Engineman, and Trainman Suggestions to Young Dis- 
patchers. The Department of Train Dispatching, What it is. The Standard Code of the American 
Railway Association. Definitions. Rules for Single Track Standard Time. Time Tables. 
Signal Rules. Visible Signals. Audible Signals. Classification of Trains. Movement of Trains 
Rules for Movements by Train Orders on Single Track Roads. Forms of Train Orders for Single 
Track Roads. Standard Code of Train Rules for Double Track. Movement of Trains. Classifi- 
cation of Trains. Double Track Forms of Train Orders. Dividing Points — Standard Time. 
Sections. Diagrams in Colors of Hand, Flag, and Lamp Signals. 



2 7TH 



EDITION 



JUST PUBLISHED REVISED AND ENLARGED 



LOCOMOTIVE CATECHISM 

By ROBERT GRIMSHAW, M.E. 

825 Pages 437 Illustrations and Three Folding Plates 

PRICE $2.50 

The 27th edition of "Locomotive Catechism" has been entirely 
revised and rewritten, making it a New Book from Cover to Cover, and 
the latest book published on the designing and constructing, running and 
repairing of modern locomotives, both simple and compound. No book 
on the locomotive has been endorsed as highly as Grimshaw's Locomo- 
tive Catechism. Both the Locomotive Firemen's Magazine and the 
Journal of the Rrotherhood of Locomotive Engineers have endorsed the work very highly, and said 
it was the best work ever published on the subject. We have, besides, thousands of testimonials 
from Engineers and Firemen, stating that the work is the simplest and best ever published. 
Written in plain, comprehensive language, and entirely free from mathematical problems. 

Commends itself at once to every Engineer and Fireman, and to all who are going in for 
examination or promotion. In plain language with full complete answers, not only all the questions 
asked by the examining engineer are given, but those which the young and less experienced would 
ask the veteran, and which old hands ask as " Stickers." It is an up-to-date Encyclopedia of the 
Locomotive. Study it and you will know your engine thoroughly. 

Contains over 4000 Examination Questions with their Answers, in- 
cluding among them those asked at the First, Second, and Third Year's 
Examinations. 

AMONG SOME OF THE SUBJECTS TREATED ARE: 




Accidents and Emergencies 

Air-Brakes 

Alfree-Hubbell Gear 

Allen Gear 

Automatic Reducing Valve 

Automatic Slack Adjuster 

Auxiliary Reservoir 

Blower 

Boilers 

Brake Cylinder 

Cab 

Check Valve 

Collisions 

Combustion 

Compound Locomotives 

Crosshead and Guides 

Cut-off and Expansion 

Cylinders 



Derailment 

Eccentric Motion 

Eccentric Rods 

Electric Headlight 

Engine and Tender Brakes 

Engineman's Tender Valve 

Equalizing Bars 

Examination of Firemen 

Firing 

Firing with Oil 

Four-Cylinder Compounds 

Gears 

Gooch Gear 

Headlight 

Indicator 

Injector 

Joy Gear 

K Triple Valve 



Knocks and Pounds 
Lubrication 
Piston Valves 
"Quick-Afction" Brake 
Relief Valves 

Richmorid-Mellin Compound 
Slide Valve 

Slide-Valve Feed Valve 
Superheated Steam 
Sweeney Compressor 
Tandem Compounds 
Three-Cylinder Compounds 
Vacuum Brake 
Valve Gears 
Valve-Motion Models 
Valve Setting 
Walschaert Gear 
Young Valve Gear 



Secure a copy of this book, as it treats on the Air Brake 
Equipment, the Walschaert Valve Gear, Electric Headlight, Break- 
downs, Combustion, Firing with Oil, Compound Locomotives, Valve 
Setting, Injectors and Lubricators, Superheated Steam, etc., etc., 
as well as including Examination Questions and Answers. 




NEW YORK AIR 
BRAKE CATECHISM 

By ROBERT H. BLACKALL 

250 Pages- Fully Illustrated 

PRICE $1.00 

THE only complete treatise on the New York Air Brake and air signaling apparatus, giving a 
detailed description of all the parts, their operation, troubles, and the methods of locating and 
remedying the same. It includes and fully describes and illustrates the plain triple valve, quick- 
action triple valve, duplex pump, pump governor, brake valves, retaining valves, freight equipment, 
signal valve, signal reducing valves, and car discharge valve. With special chapters on piston travel, 
water brake for both simple and compound engines, main reservoir, Sweeney compressor, train inspec- 
tion, train handling, piping, recording gauges, rules covering general air-brake practice, improved 
tests, brake leverages, etc., etc. 

NEARLY 1000 QUESTIONS WITH THEIR ANSWERS ARE INCLUDED 

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER CONSTRUCTION 

By FRANK A. KLEINHANS 

421 Pages 350 Illustrations and Five Folding Plates 

PRICE $3.00 

r OCOMOTIVE boilers present more difficulty in laying out and building than any other type and 
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The Application of Highly 

Superheated Steam to Locomotives 

By ROBERT GARBE 

GEHEIMEM BAURAT, MITGLIED DER KGL. ElSENBAHNniREKTION. BERLIN. 

Edited by LESUE 5. ROBERTSON 

Octavo Very Fully Illustrated with Folding Plates and Tables 

PRICE $2.50 

A PRACTICAL work specially prepared for the use of all mterested in the application of superheated 
steam to locomotives, written by a man who probably has had greater experience and is more 
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also contains full "illustrated descriptions, with a discussion of the merits, of all the better known 
superheaters in the world. The details of the locomotive, outside of the superheater, for satisfactory 
using steam at this high temperature are discussed and the designs introduced by Herr Garbe are 
illustrated. Reports on a number of very complete and practical tests form the concluding chapter 
of the work. This book cannot be recommended too highly to those motive power men who are 
anxious to maintain the highest efficiency in their locomotives. 



23rd EDITION 



REVISED AND ENLARGED 






UP-TO-DATE 



BLACKALL 



AIR-BRAKE CATECHISM 

By ROBERT H. BLACKALL 

Nearly 400 Pages Containing Folding Plates and Diagrams 

PRICE $2.00 

Contains nearly 2000 questions and answers covering the detail of construction and 

operation of the new as well as the old equipment, and gives in concise form 

the requisite information to enable students to understand and 

answer the usual questions propounded by the examiner. 

This book, Written by one of the best authorities on air-brakes in the country, is considered a 
standard text book. It is a complete study of the air-brake equipment, including the Schedule E T 
Locomotiv'e Brake Equipment; the K (Quick Service) Triple Valve for Freight Service; and 
the Cross Compound Pump. The operation of all parts of the apparatus is explained in detail, 
and a practical way of finding iheir pecularities and defects, with a proper remedy, is given. 

The author takes up each topic in its simplest form, and then by progressive work covers 
the more intricate parts of the topic, thus making a book valuable to men already advanced in 
their knowledge of the air-brake. Trainmen and engine crews will find special and practical 
assistance to their work, under the subjects TRAIN' HANDLING AND TRAIN INSPECTION. 

This book has been endorsed and used by air-brake instructors and examiners on nearly 
every railroad in the United States. 



CONTENTS 



Beginnings of the Air-Brake. Westinghouse 
Automatic Brake. Triple Valve. Plain Triple 
Valve. Function of the Triple Valve. Quick 
Action Triple Valve. Peculiarities and Troubles 
of the Triple Valve. Freight Equipment. Pis- 
ton Travel. American Brake-Slack Adjuster. 
Westinghouse Retaining Valves. Main Reser- 
voir. Westinghouse Engineer's Brake Valve. 
G 6 Brake Valve. Slide- Valve Feed Valve. 
Feed Valve or Trainline Governor (Old Style). 
Engineer's Equalizing Reservoir or " Little 
Drum." Westinghouse D 8 Engineer's Brake 
Valve. Compai-ison of G 6 and D 8 Engineer's 
Brake Valve. Westinghouse Air Pumps. Nine- 
and-One-half-Inch Pump. Eight-Inch Pump. 



Nine-and-One-Half-Inch Pump, Right and Left 
Hand. Eleven-Inch Pump. Westinghouse 
Pump Governors. The Sweeney Compressor. 
The Water Brake. Westinghouse Signal Sys- 
tem. Schedule U or High Pressure Control. 
High Speed Brake. Combined Automatic and 
Straight Air Duplex Main Reservoir Regulation. 
Appliances and Methods of Testing Triple 
Valves. Lubricants. Air Brake Recording 
Gauges. Train Inspection. Train Handling. 
Brake Tests. Piping. Cam Brake. Braking 
Power and Leverage. Cylinders to be Used on 
Different Vehicles. American Brake Leverage. 
Air Hose and Specifications. Rules and For- 
mulae for Inspectors. 



NEW APPARATUS INCLUDED: K (Quick Service) Triple Valve. Nos. 5 and 6 
E T Locomotive Brake Equipment; H-5 Brake Valve. S F (independent) Brsdce Valve. 
S F Pump Governor. Distributing Valve. B-4 Feed Valve. B-3 Reducing Valve. Safety 
Valve. Compound Pump. 



^ofCOAL 

KoPREVENTION 

OF SMOKE. 

BABRv 



LOCOMOTIVE nRING 

A CATECHISM ON THE 

COMBUSTION OF COAL 

AND THE PREVENTION OF SMOKE 

By WILUAM M. BARR, M.E. 

Nearly 350 Pages Fully Illustrated 

PRICE $1.00 



To be a success a fireman must be "Light on Coal." He must keep his fire in good condition, and 
prevent, as far as possible, the smoke nuisance. To do this, he should know how coal burns, how 
smoke is formed and the proper burning of fuel to obtain the best results. He can learn this, and 
more too, from Barr's "COMBUSTION OF COAL AND THE PREVENTION OF SMOKE." It 
is an absolute authority on all questions relating to the Firing of a Locomotive. 

Contains nearly 500 questions with their answers, giving the needed 
information to enable anyone to pass any examination on combustion 

AMONG THE SUBJECTS TREATED ARE 

Locomotive Furnace Details. Limitations of locomotive fire box. Advantages of large gfate area. Rate of combustion 
in locomotive boilers. Function of fire-brick arch in locomotive fire boxes. Usual construction of brick arch in loco- 
motive fire boxes. Does the brick arch in locomotive fire boxes cause leaky flues? Tubular water grates. Stationary coal 
burning grate. Shaking grate. Comparison of evaporated power of anthracite and bituminous coal in locomotive practice. 
Practical results of single shovel firing on the B. C. R. and N. Ry. Saving in coal by light firing in locomotives. The best 
method of firing a locomotive. Noticeable improvements in connection with light firing and boiler repairs. Direct saving 
upon the brick arches in locomotive fire boxes by light firing. Advantages attained^by the lateral extension of locomotive 
file boxes. Disadvantages of a wide fire box in locomotives. Division of wide fire box in locomotives into two separate 
furnaces. Evaporative results in ordinary locomotive practice. Most efiBcient form of exhaust tip. Size of average ex- 
haust tips. Conclusions reached regarding means for increase in production of steam by increased draft. Strong's loco- 
motive fire box. How the smokeless combustion of bituminous coal is carried out in practice in locomotives. Details of 
front ends of locomotives So. Pac. Ry. Furnace door details. Details of shaking grate. Details of ash pan. Facts given 
in daily report of traveling firemen So. Pac. Ry. 

Hydrocarbon oil as a fuel for locomotives. Heating power of crude petroleum. Success attending the use of liquid fuel as 
auxiliary to coal for locomotive engines. Changes necessary to convert a coal into an oil-burning locomotive. Construc- 
tion of atomizers for burning oil on So. Cal. Railroad. How oil is supplied to burner under pressure Size of exhaust noz- 
zle when burning oil. Are oil fires smokeless? Effect of products of combustion of an oil fire upon the tubes of a boiler. 
Relative cost of oil and coal as a fuel in locomotive practice. 



CHARTS 



TRACTIVE POWER CHART 

A chart whereby you can find the tractive power or drawbar pull of any locomotive, without 
making a figure. Shows what cylinders are equal, how driving wheels and steam pressure 
affect the power. What sized engine you need to exert a given drawbar pull or anything you 
desire in this line. Price 50c. 

PASSENGER CAR CHART 

A chart showing the anatomy of a passenger car, having every part of the car numbered and its 
proper name given in a reference list. Price 20c. 

BOX CAR CHART 

A chart showmg the anatomy of a box car, having every part of the car numbered and its proper 
name given in a reference list. Price 20c. 

GONDOLA CAR CHART 

A chart showing the. anatomy of a gondola car, having every part of the car numbered and its 
proper reference name given in a reference list, Frire 20c. 

AMERICAN COMPOUND LOCOMOTIVES 

By FRED H. COLVIN, Associate Editor ''American Machinist" 

142 Pagfes Fully Illustrated 

PRICE $1.00 

A book showing every type and make of Compound Locomotives in use in the counti-y. Tells in'plain*. 
English — iiowto Handle Them. How to Repair Them. What to do if They Break Down. How to 
Disconnect Them; How to Set Valves. How to Test for Leaks and Locate Blows All About 
Piston Valves. Reducing Valves. Valve Motion Lubricating, etc. 

Contains chapters as follows:— A Bit of History. Theory of Compounding Steam Cylinders. Baldwin Two-Cylinder 
Compound. Pittsburg Two-Cylinder Compound. Ehode Island Compound. Richmond Compound. Rogers Compound. 
Schenectady Two-Cylinder Compound, Vauclain Compound. Tandem Compounds Baldwin Tandem. The Colvin- 
Wightman Tandem. Schenectady Tandem. Balanced Locomotives. Baldwin Balanced Compiaund. Plans for Balancing. 
Locating Blows. Breakdowns. Reducing Valves. Drifting. Valve Motion. Disconnecting. Power of Compound Loco- 
motives. Practical Notes. 



JUST PUBLISHED P OCKET BOOK E DITION 

LOCOMOTIVE BREAKDOWNS 

AND THEIR REMEDIES 

By GEO. L. FOWLER, revised by WM. W. WOOD, Air Brake Instructor 
270 Pages PRICE $1.00 Fully Illustrated 




The new pocket edition of "Locomotive Breakdowns" has been revised 
by Wm. W. Wood, the well-known railroad expert, which is 
a sufficient guarantee that this work represents the 
best practice of the present day and is ex- 
haustive in text and illustrations. 

Engineers are paid nowadays for getting their engines into the terminal on time, and to 
accomplish this there must be no casualties EN ROUTE that will cause delav; accidents, however, 
will happen, and it is the knowledge of HOW TO AVOID DELAY IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS 
that the Company requires of engineers nowadays, and what to do in case of breakdowns. The 
revised pocket edition of " Locomotive Breakdowns " is absolutely necessary to every engineer, firt-man, 
and shop man, because it treats of every possible engine trouble, and presents the remedy, m the 
form of questions and answers. 

Walsch^ert Locomotive Valve Gear Troubles are treated in detail, while the Electric 
Headlight, which is commg rapidly into general use, is included, and all the possible defects and 
troubles of the engine, dymano, and lamp are given. 

One of the best things in the book is the Questions and Answers on the Air Brake. This 
chapter has been entirely rewritten, and is the result of long and careful study in selection, guided by 
years of experience. The questions refer to troubles that will come to you. as surely as that you 
will run an engine Up-to-date in every detail, it tells you how to avoid mistakes and ill-results in 
operating: the brakes of freight and passenger trains, and how to guard against, as well as remedy, 
troubles of the improved E T engine and tender brake equipment. 

It is out of the question to try and tell you about every subject that is covered in this pocket 
edition of Locomotive Breakdowns. Just imagine all the common troubles that an engineer may 
expect to happen some time, and then add all of the unexpected ones, troubles that cou|d occur, but 
that you had never thought about, and you will find that they are all here, in this Up-to-Date 
Edition of '* Breakdowns," with the very best methods of repair. 

CONTENTS 



I. Defective Valves. 

II. Accidents to the Valve Motion. 

III. Accidents to Cylinders, Steam Chests, Cylinders, and Pistons. 
IV. Accidents to Guides. Crossheads and Rods. 

V. The Walschaert Valve Motion j Accidents that May Happen to the Gear. 
VI. Accidents to Running Gears. 

VII. Truck and ?>ame Accidents. 
VIII. Boiler Troubles. 

IX. Defective Throttle and Steam Connections. 
X. Defective Draft Appliances. 

XL Pump and Injector Troubles. 
XIL Accidents to Cab Fixtures. 
XIII. Render Accidents. 

XIV. Miscellaneous Accidents, 

XV. Compound Locomotive Accidents. 

XVI. Tools and Appliances for Making Engine Repairs. 
XVII. Air Brake Troubles. 

XVIII. The Pyle-National Electric Headlight. 

The engineer who can keep his engine out of the shop, and when trouble occurs get it 
in running shape with as little delay as possible, is sure of promotion. This is the book that 
tells you just what to do in any case of an accident or breakdown. 



JUN 7 1909 



